By Tony Marrero
Tampa Bay Times
TAMPA, Fla. — A suspect accused of taking his ex-girlfriend hostage shot and wounded two Hillsborough sheriff’s deputies in Ruskin on Thursday before a third deputy fatally shot him, authorities said.
Both deputies were conscious and talking when they were loaded into medical helicopters near the scene on West Shell Point Road near U.S. 41, Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a news conference.
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The suspect, 34-year-old Christopher Michael Dmuchowski, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
“The hand of God was with our deputies here today,” Chronister said. “Our suspect ambushed our deputies from the moment they arrived on scene. He was intent on taking the life of a deputy sheriff.”
The chain of events that led to the shooting began Thursday morning when a woman arrived at the sheriff’s office’s district office to report that Dmuchowski, her ex-boyfriend, came to her home Wednesday night and gagged her with a sock and tape, Chronister said.
“Several times throughout the evening, as she gains consciousness and loses consciousness, he tells her as he’s holding her at gunpoint that he’s going to kill her,” Chronister said.
When she woke up in the morning, the woman realized she was no longer restrained. She told Dmuchowski she had an appointment, and he let her leave, according to Chronister. She then went to the district office to seek a protection order.
Deputies went to Dmuchowski’s home on Shell Point Road and used a drone to determine he appeared to be alone inside. The drone then showed Dmuchowski leaving the home and walking in a parking lot, so deputies moved in to take him into custody.
When Deputy Sopharmony Muon arrived and began to get out of his patrol vehicle, Dmuchowski opened fire from inside his van, hitting Muon in the face, according to Chronister.
When Deputy Colton Daniels arrived, Dmuchowski opened fire before Daniels got out of his car, hitting him in the neck, the sheriff said.
A third deputy, Sgt. Harrison Bashner, arrived and opened fire on Dmuchowski, hitting him multiple times.
Chronister said he arrived in time to speak to Muon and Daniels before medical helicopters took off for Tampa General Hospital. Both were in “severe agony” but were talking and “grateful to be alive,” he said.
He praised the actions of Bashner, a 27-year veteran of the agency.
“Our suspect’s reign of terror ended today because of the training, the bravery and heroic actions of each of these deputies,” Chronister said.
Last month, a woman who shared a Shell Point Road address with Dmuchowski filed a petition seeking a domestic violence protection order against him. According to the petition, the woman and Dmuchowski were arguing when he began choking her from behind.
“Toxic,” the woman wrote. “Dangerous. Please help me. I’ve tried all I can think of.”
A judge granted a temporary protection order, and a hearing was held June 15 . More details weren’t immediately available Thursday.
Manatee County court records show the Bradenton Police Department arrested Dmuchowski in May 2024 after a woman said he entered her locked apartment without permission, put his arm around her neck and choked her until she lost consciousness. The woman told police she and Dmuchowski had previously lived together as a couple but separated the previous February.
Officers who arrived and took Dmuchowski into custody found cocaine in his pocket, according to an arrest report.
Records show prosecutors dropped a charge of burglary with assault or battery, and Dmuchowski pleaded no contest to possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
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