Police Catch Man Wanted For Shooting Officer
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Authorities have arrested a man wanted on two outstanding warrants, who shot at police, carjacked a car and got away.
Matthew Pryor had been on the run since early morning Tuesday.
On Wednesday evening, according to investigators, the stolen vehicle taken in the carjacking was spotted a local hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Miami-Dade Police said as Knoxville Police approached the hotel room door, Pryor opened the door and shot an officer in the chest. The officer was taken to a local hospital and did not have serious injuries.
Pryor barricaded himself, but was later taken into custody. Arrangements will be made to begin the extradition process back to Florida.
Miami-Dade Police Department said Pryor, a career criminal, was considered armed and dangerous and that he needed to be located as soon as possible.
MDPD, Warrants Bureau, was attempting to pick up Pryor at 2290 NE 136 Street Tuesday on two outstanding probation warrants.
As detectives approached Pryor, MDPD said the man opened fire towards detectives. Officers began to set up a perimeter when they received a call regarding a carjacking matching Pryor's description.
"While he was running across 135th street," said Lt, John Jenkins from Miami-Dade Police, "there's preliminary information that he was possibly struck by a vehicle at which time he immediately got up and was able to carjack a female who was getting ready for work this morning."
The victim of the carjacking was not hurt.
Police said Pryor took a silver 2011 Nissan Rogue with Florida tag E59-5JT.
Pryor has a long criminal history and was recently released from prison. "He is a career criminal," Lt. Jenkins said Tuesday. "The charges do vary from theft, to possession to burglary charges, but obviously this is a very dangerous individual that would, some officers come to arrest him for these warrants and he'd shoot at those officers."
The family said Pryor has a history of phychiatric problems and, aside from his long criminal history and prison stay, he's had issues with drug abuse and was recently in rehab. They said while he is not normally violent, they don't know what'll happen next.
