Suspect in Tarrant County deputy shooting hated police, says neighbor
FORT WORTH – The man who authorities said shot a Tarrant County deputy three times may be remembered more for his final act than his life.
The 40-year-old gunman's identity has not been released pending official identification and notification of next of kin.
Martin Gomez, the man's neighbor of six years, said the suspect always talked about hating police.
The 32-year-old husband and father of two also said he was glad his family was out of town because they live right next door to the suspect.
Gomez said his neighborhood had a firewood business. He also said the man's wife had two children who had left the home a year ago. It's not clear if the kids are connected to the criminal warrants.
According to the neighbor, the man's wife left him two weeks ago. Gomez said, in his opinion, his neighbor started acting weird.
Meanwhile, Tarrant County law enforcement said the suspect started shooting at peace officers executing three felony warrants. Investigators said he was being sought for aggravated sexual abuse of a child, indecency with a child, and illegal restraint of a child.
Fort Worth police and Tarrant County deputies said the armed suspect shot Deputy Todd Tipton three times. The 13-year veteran of the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office was hit in the arm and lower abdomen and grazed on his head, according to Sheriff Bill Waybourn, who rushed to the hospital to check on his deputy.
"I just thank God that we were a quarter inch off and that he's going to be fine. You know, it's just miraculous. Just miraculous because it's pretty close combat, as I understand it so far," Waybourn said.
Waybourn said Tipton, an experienced SWAT officer, would not remain hospitalized. He was out of the hospital Wednesday evening.
The suspect engaged law enforcement in a two-hour standoff. The situation escalated when police said he told them there were hostages inside a duplex with him on Elinor Street.
Fort Worth SWAT moved in. By the time they came out of the residence, emergency crews were performing CPR. The man died. Investigators said it's not clear if he committed suicide or if police gunfire killed him.
"There's a violent criminal who is actively trying to kill deputies and officers today who is no longer a threat," Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes said. "We're very early on in this investigation."
The investigation into the deadly shooting is ongoing.
