Two sheriff's deputies were shot and a gunman was killed on Thursday in an ambush in Ruskin, in the south end of Hillsborough County, Florida, authorities said. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said both wounded deputies were rushed to hospital and were expected to survive, while the man who opened fire on them died of his injuries. Sheriff Chad Chronister praised his deputies' actions and said there was no ongoing threat to public safety.
According to the sheriff, the events began the night before, when the suspect, a former boyfriend of a woman in the county, arrived at her home. Officials said he bound her legs with zip ties, placed a sock in her mouth and taped it shut, and held her at gunpoint throughout the night, telling her repeatedly that he was going to kill her as she drifted in and out of consciousness. The sheriff described her as having been a hostage, held captive all night long.
In the morning, the sheriff said, the woman awoke to find herself unrestrained. She told the man she had an appointment she could not miss, and he allowed her to leave the house. She then went to a sheriff's office in the south end of the county seeking an order of protection, and as she recounted what had happened overnight, deputies concluded they were dealing with something far more serious than a protective order and a string of criminal acts for which the suspect needed to be held accountable.
Deputies set about identifying the man, learning where he lived and what kind of vehicle he drove, and made their way to a residence on Shell Point Road in Ruskin. Believing the suspect was inside, alone and still armed, they held back rather than rushing in. Deputies trained in drone operations launched an aircraft to carry out surveillance, keeping officers at a distance from someone the sheriff said had already proven himself violent and dangerous.
The drone operator soon reported that the suspect had left the residence and was heading toward the parking lot of the complex, which was occupied by some repair workers, and was moving toward his van. Deputies moved in to take him into custody. As the first deputy pulled in near the vehicle, the sheriff said, the man opened the side door of his van, thrust his hand through to get a better angle and opened fire before the deputy could even close his car door.
The first deputy, identified by the sheriff as Deputy Moon, was struck in the facial area and immediately fell. Almost simultaneously, a second deputy, Deputy Daniels, arrived and the suspect fired through the vehicle, hitting him in the neck before he could get out of his patrol car. A third deputy, Sergeant Harrison Bashner, a 27-year veteran, took up a tactical position from the rear, saw the gunman firing and returned fire, striking the suspect multiple times.
Both wounded deputies were medevaced to Tampa General Hospital, where the sheriff said they were receiving some of the best care available in the region. He said he had spoken with both of them, describing them as in severe agony from their injuries but alive and grateful, and said their families had been brought to the hospital to be reunited with them. The suspect was also taken to Tampa General, where he was pronounced deceased after succumbing to his injuries.
The sheriff identified the suspect as Chris Machowski, 34, and said he was a one-time convicted felon, having been convicted in 2023 of a felony charge of tampering with physical evidence. He said investigators had not found any previously documented reports of domestic violence involving the man, and commended the woman for coming forward. She was described as distraught but not seriously hurt physically. The sheriff said he intended to release body camera and drone footage, while blurring the deceased, in the interest of transparency.