A Dixie County Sheriff’s deputy is in stable condition after he was shot during a confrontation at the Old Town Tavern on Saturday night.
According to a Dixie County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) release, deputies responded to the report of a person allegedly shooting into an occupied building at 3634 NE Highway 349. No injuries were reported from the shooting.
When deputies arrived on scene, the suspect reportedly started firing at the deputies. During the exchange of gunfire, DCSO deputy Cody Pope was shot.
The suspect, 54-year-old Christopher Thomas Van Ness, was also shot during the incident. He was taken into custody by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and remains hospitalized. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a capital felony warrant and charged Van Ness with attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer.
According to an update on Sunday, Pope is expected to make a full recovery.