PALMETTO, Fla. — The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said it's investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place in Palmetto on Tuesday night.
The sheriff's office said it happened in the 700 block of 17th Street West around 10 p.m. According to authorities, Palmetto Police got information about a stolen vehicle and responded to the scene with backup from two Manatee County deputies.
Deputies said when they arrived at the scene, PPD officers had their guns drawn and were telling the driver to get out of the vehicle. The sheriff's office said a uniformed deputy parked his patrol car with the lights on in front of the stolen vehicle and got out with his gun drawn.
The driver ignored commands, authorities said, and accelerated the vehicle toward the deputy. The sheriff's office said the deputy was run over as he tried to get out of the way. The deputy was taken to the hospital with injuries to his legs and later released.
At that time, authorities said the other deputy and officers fired at the suspect, who continued to drive the stolen car until it crashed into a tree. The suspect, identified as Randall Gray, 38, crawled out of the car and ran away, authorities said. He was arrested a short time later by K9 deputies.
Gray was charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, with additional charges pending. The sheriff's office said he sustained an injury to his hand.
A passenger who was in the car with Gray at the time was uninjured and cooperative, authorities said.
"We are very fortunate the deputy survived this unnecessary act of violence committed against him while he was simply doing his job. It's disturbing this habitual convicted felon was out on our streets and able to commit more crimes," said Sheriff Rick Wells.
The deputy who fired shots is on routine paid administrative leave while an investigation into the shooting and an internal investigation is conducted.
