A routine attempt to serve felony arrest warrants at a Texas home turned deadly when a suspect unleashed a barrage of more than 800 rounds of ammunition at law enforcement officers, killing a sheriff’s deputy and wounding a local police officer.
The confrontation unfolded late Tuesday evening at the residence of 42-year-old Mi Van Nguyen in Van Zandt County. Personnel from the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and the Canton Police Department arrived at the home around 10:20 p.m. to execute two felony warrants for Nguyen, which charged him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault on a peace officer.
As officers approached, Nguyen opened fire from inside the structure using a semiautomatic rifle. According to law enforcement officials, the gunman fired upward of 800 rounds toward the responding personnel.
Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Deputy Ahmed “Adam” Sherifi was killed in the attack. Canton police officer Chris Watson was wounded during the exchange and subsequently transported to a hospital for treatment.
During a Friday press conference, Sheriff Kevin Bridger detailed the scale of the violence and paid tribute to the fallen deputy. “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 told reporters. “This was not simply an attack on law enforcement. It was an attack on the peace and security that every family in Van Zandt County, in all counties, deserve.”
Amid the heavy gunfire, another member of the sheriff’s office took decisive action to protect his colleagues. Deputy Brandon Fonteneau provided critical lifesaving care to the wounded officer while returning fire against the suspect. Bridger credited Fonteneau’s tactical response with preventing further casualties and allowing fellow personnel to evacuate Watson to safety.
“In the middle of the extraordinary, dangerous situation, Brandon did what he had been trained to do, and that saved lives and protected the community,” Bridger said. “His courage and quick decision helped save lives. And I want Brandon to know how proud I am of him, how grateful to this office and this community for what he did.”
Following the prolonged exchange, Nguyen was found dead inside the residence from a gunshot wound. Investigators have not yet released a specific motive for the barrage.
Sherifi is survived by his wife and a newborn child, both of whom attended Friday’s press conference alongside the sheriff. Funeral services for the fallen deputy are scheduled to take place next week.
Watson continues to recover from his injuries at a hospital. The Texas Rangers have taken over the investigation into the shooting.
