Police release bodycam of ‘armed and dangerous’ Texas fugitive pulling gun out and shooting deputy

Georgia authorities have released body cam footage showing the terrifying moment a fugitive allegedly hauling explosives inside a stolen trailer pulled a gun on a sheriff’s deputy and shot him during a traffic stop before dawn on Monday morning.

The footage was released on the same day that law enforcement officials in Georgia arrested 47-year-old Jonathan Hosmer, another Texas fugitive tied to the shooting of the deputy. 

Hosmer, 47, was arrested at around 5am on Tuesday at a location given to law enforcement by an anonymous tipster.

He was checked for dehydration and then transported to the Whitfield County Jail. 

In the bodycam video, a sheriff’s deputy carrying a flashlight approaches a pickup truck that has a trailer attached to its rear.

When he approaches the driver’s side window, he finds a man wearing glasses and a purple tank top.

The sheriff’s deputy asks the man for ID. Immediately afterward, the man flashes a gun, and the deputy appears to duck. The video ends at this point. 

Law enforcement officials in Georgia identified the man in the video as Dalton Lee Potter.

Potter is considered ‘armed and dangerous’ after he allegedly shot and wounded a sheriff’s deputy before crashing their stolen trailer and running off into the woods. 

Investigators told WGXA-TV that Potter is a ‘survivalist’ who is skilled at surviving in the woods over the course of a long period of time.

According to law enforcement officials, Potter was hauling explosives in the trailer seen in the bodycam video.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation destroyed the explosives in a controlled demolition, according to WRCB-TV. 

Potter, 29, was wanted in Texas when he was pulled over in a white Chevrolet Tahoe, pulling a stolen utility trailer, in Whitfield County, Georgia, on Monday morning.

Potter opened fire on Deputy Darrell Hackney, who was saved only by his bulletproof vest.

Hackney and another deputy, Adrian Gomez, both returned fire, but Potter escaped, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. 

Potter, from Leakey, Texas, crashed on I-75 South. 

A second man, Jonathan Hosmer, 47, also from Leakey, was captured on a home surveillance system in a subdivision near the truck wreck.

Hosmer was taken into custody on Tuesday. Potter was seen taking off into the woods.

Hosmer was wanted in Texas for burglary. 

Potter has been charged with aggravated assault on the deputy; Hosmer has not yet been charged.

‘Potter is considered armed and dangerous and a ‘Blue Alert’ has been issued for Potter’s capture,’ the Georgia Bureau of Investigations said. 

Scott Chitwood, Whitfield County sheriff, said the deputy was treated at a hospital and is now at home. 

‘Thank goodness that his vest protected it,’ said Chitwood. 

‘He was treated and released at the hospital last night. Had a burning sensation, little abrasion, but overall fine, right below the rib cage.’

Local residents are assisting police, WRCBtv reported.

Chitwood said eyewitness reports have helped them narrow their search, which was filmed by Fox5 Atlanta.

‘One of the neighbors gave the description, we felt like it was legitimate, we focused on that area. 

‘But we’ve come up with nothing at this point. We did come up with a pack of fresh cigarettes we felt like possibly could be his,’ Chitwood added.

It’s unclear why Potter came to Georgia.