Suspected carjacker shot by Volusia County deputy

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A suspected carjacker was shot on Tuesday afternoon after he attempted to run down some Volusia County deputies, according to investigators. 

The shooting incident occurred in Daytona Beach, near the Daytona Beach International Airport, Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a news conference. The 28-year-old suspect is accused of three different carjackings, the first of which is said to have happened in DeLand.

"The suspect in this case gets into a dispute with his boyfriend and steals the boyfriend's car, dragging the boyfriend down the street," Chitwood explained.  

The suspect then crashed that car, luring an unsuspecting second victim into the fray. 

"The owner of a red Saturn pulls up, a good Samaritan.  The bad guy jumps into the car and takes off" Chitwood continued. 

Deputies said tracked down the suspect in the Daytona Beach area and deployed stop sticks on the stolen car.  A short while later, the suspect is said to have attempted a third carjacking, stopping a man in a pickup truck near the corner of Bellevue Ave. and Williamson Blvd.  

Deputies arrived at the same time and pulled the driver of the truck out of the vehicle as the suspect was climbing into the cabin on the passenger side.  

"He forced the driver out; he puts the truck into reverse," said Chitwood, as the deputies arrived.  "They [the deputies ]tried to apprehend him with a canine, when they first pulled up."  

The suspect backed the truck into a ditch and then proceeded to drive toward responding deputies, Chitwood told reporters. 

Responding deputies fired on the suspect, striking him in the neck,shoulder, arm and leg. No deputies were injured.

The suspect was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for treatment of the multiple gunshot wounds and was expected to survive. He is currently charged with violation of probation; other charges against him are pending and will be released in a future update.  Chitwood said the suspect was not armed. 

The names of the suspect and the deputies involved in the shooting were not immediately released. The two deputies who fired are being placed on administrative leave with pay as is standard in all deputy-involved shootings. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.