Gulfport Man Shot by Deputy

MADEIRA BEACH, FL — A Wednesday morning traffic stop at John’s Pass quickly turned volatile when the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said a man attempted to take a deputy’s gun.

The incident unfolded just after 3 a.m. when Deputy Tim Virden pulled over a woman who was suspected of driving impaired. A man inside the woman’s car began obstructing the investigation, The Tampa Tribune reported.

Dylan Tompkins-Holmes is ultimately accused of trying to take Virden’s gun. Virden, however, struggled with the man and shot him twice, media outlets are reporting.

Tompkins-Holmes was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg following the incident. His wounds, several media outlets report, are considered not life-threatening.

Virden was not injured in the struggle.

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Virden was in fear for his life and acted accordingly.

“When you grab a cop’s gun, you’re going to get what you get out of it,” the Tampa Bay Times quoted Gualtieri as saying.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Tompkins-Holmes has been arrested multiple times in Pinellas County on charges ranging from burglary and criminal mischief to DUI and petty theft, jail records indicate.

Prior booking photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office