OCALA, Fla. — Another attack on a law enforcement officer has the Marion County Sheriff’s Office outraged.
- Man accused of manslaughter, attempted murder
- Malcolm Thomas, 28, fired rounds at Marion deputy
- Sheriff Woods: 2nd attack on deputies this week
Twenty-eight-year-old Malcolm Thomas is charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer as well as manslaughter in connection to his mother's death.
Deputies say Thomas shot at Corporal Alan Hewett Thursday morning, who was guarding the scene where Thomas's mother was killed hours earlier at a home near 7900 NW 39th Avenue Road in Ocala.
According to the arrest report, Thomas and his brother were fighting over a loaded gun when it went off and killed their mother Pearlie May Thomas.
Thomas allegedly told investigators he left the scene to get another firearm, so he could come back and kill his brother.
Hewett was the assigned patrol deputy at Pearlie May Thomas' death investigation. Hewett reportedly heard gunshots and confronted Thomas in the backyard area.
Deputies say Thomas refused to comply and fired several rounds at Hewett around 11:19 a.m.
Hewett took cover but never returned fire; according to MCSO, the deputy is doing fine.
Deputies say Thomas fled and was tracked down by K-9's.
Sheriff Billy Woods says this is the second time this week where someone shot at one of his deputies. He says he's tired of it.
"We’re beginning to become used to it, of taking fire in which we shouldn’t be," Woods said. "He was here sitting as a security for this house. He was not fighting anyone, he was not engaging anyone. He was simply sitting on a house waiting on a search warrant."
Sheriff Woods mentioned Gilchrist County, where two deputies were shot and killed, as well as in Dallas where another officer died and one was wounded.
"I'm probably not the only sheriff in this county or in the nation that is tired of people shooting at and killing law enforcement officers," Woods said.
Woods said another deputy was shot at in Citra on Sunday morning as he was dispersing a crowd.
He's asking anyone with information about that incident to come forward.