A senior Bradenton Police Department patrol officer remains hospitalized in intensive care with a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a fleeing suspect’s vehicle early Sunday morning. A second officer sustained a lower-body injury and has since been released from the hospital.
The incident began shortly after 3:20 a.m. when officers responded to reports of a man armed with a gun harassing customers at the Wawa near First Street and Sixth Avenue East in Bradenton.
According to police, the suspect struck two officers with his vehicle while attempting to flee the scene. Two additional officers fired at the suspect’s vehicle during the encounter.
The suspect then fled toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge before returning to Bradenton. Officers from the Bradenton Police Department, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol pursued the vehicle until it crashed near First Street and 10th Avenue West.
Police identified the suspect as 35-year-old Dejerrian D. Murray. He sustained minor injuries during the incident and was treated and released from the hospital before being transported to the Manatee County jail.
Murray faces multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement at high speed or with wanton disregard for safety, hit-and-run involving serious bodily injury, hit-and-run involving injury, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, violation of probation, and resisting arrest without violence.
As of the department’s 10:45 a.m. update, the senior patrol officer remained in intensive care. The second injured officer had been discharged.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement responded to investigate the officer-involved shooting.
The investigation remains active, and authorities said additional information will be released as it becomes available.
