Local
Van Zandt sheriff says gunman fired more than 800 rounds in attack that killed deputy
Sheriff Kevin Bridger said Mi Van Nguyen opened fire as officers tried to contact him at a home near Canton on Tuesday night. Deputy Ahmed “Adam” Sherifi was killed, and Canton Officer Chris Watson was severely wounded; Texas Rangers are investigating.
A gunman fired more than 800 rounds at law enforcement during a shootout near Canton that killed a Van Zandt County sheriff’s deputy and severely wounded a Canton police officer, Sheriff Kevin Bridger said Friday.
Deputies and Canton officers were trying to contact Mi Van Nguyen, 42, at his home south of Canton at about 10:20 p.m. Tuesday while serving two felony arrest warrants, Bridger said. Nguyen opened fire from inside the home with a semiautomatic rifle, fatally wounding Deputy Ahmed “Adam” Sherifi and severely injuring Officer Chris Watson, the sheriff said.
Nguyen was later found dead inside the residence from a gunshot wound. The Texas Rangers are investigating. Bridger said Nguyen was wanted on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault on a peace officer. He gave no information about a possible motive and did not take questions from reporters.
“Think about that. 800 rounds shot at the men and women whose only purpose was to carry out their duties to protect this community,” Bridger said at a news conference outside the sheriff’s office. He described the shooting as an attack on the safety of Van Zandt County residents and said the incident was isolated, with no continuing threat from the suspect.
Bridger praised Deputy Brandon Fonteneau, who was with Sherifi and Watson when the shooting began. The sheriff said Fonteneau provided lifesaving care to Watson, returned fire as gunfire continued and helped create an opportunity for other deputies and Texas Department of Public Safety personnel to reach the wounded officer and take him for treatment. Watson remains hospitalized and is recovering, Bridger said.
The news conference also honored Sherifi, whose wife, mother and newborn child attended. Bridger described him as a husband, father, son and friend who had devoted his life to public service. Funeral services are scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. in Canton, according to the sheriff’s office.
The department is also grieving a separate tragedy: a house fire in Canton about two hours after the shooting killed four children and their mother, who were the daughter and grandchildren of a Van Zandt County deputy. Bridger said the back-to-back losses have deeply affected the close-knit law enforcement community.