The officer who was shot Friday afternoon as he attempted to serve a warrant on a suspect has been released from the hospital and authorities have released additional information on the man who shot him.
On Friday at about 4:30 p.m., Elizabethton Police Department Capt. Jerry Bradley was attempting to serve out-of-state and federal arrest warrants on suspect, who has now been identified by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as 31-year-old Curtis James Dugger.
EPD Capt. Joy Shoun said officers had received information that Dugger was in the Southside community and went to the area to attempt to take him into custody. Bradley was able to locate Dugger in a wooded area, Shoun said.
“During this time, gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and the officer,” Shoun said. “Capt. Bradley sustained two gunshot wounds and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.”
Bradley was later released from the hospital and is recovering from his injuries, Shoun said.
A federal court document filed on Monday revealed additional information about why officers were attempting to arrest Dugger. According to documents, a federal arrest warrant charging Dugger with violation of supervised release had been issued and the Pulaski County, Va., Sheriff’s Office also held warrants for Dugger’s arrest.
On Nov. 9, 2010, Dugger was indicted in the U.S. District Court on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and also possession of unregistered pipe bombs. On May 23, 2011, Dugger was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison on those charges, but in August 2014 Dugger was granted early release and placed on federal supervision, the court document said.
“On February 17, 2016, warrants were issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Pulaski County, for abduction by force of a female victim, and armed burglary with intent to commit murder, rape, robbery or arson,” a federal court document said. A federal warrant charging Dugger with violation of supervised release was issued as a result of the charges in Pulaski County according to the court document.
Bradley began working for the Elizabethton Police department in 1996 after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Bradley has worked in the Department’s patrol and criminal investigation divisions. He currently serves as a Captain in the patrol division and has served as the Commander for the Elizabethton Police Department Special Response Team (SRT) since 2008.