Florida Deputies Ambushed

On August 30, 2021, at approximately 1300 hours, Deputy Brian Potters conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle off of U.S. 192 just west of Interstate 95 in West Melbourne. In the very initial stages of the traffic stop, Deputy Tyler Thoman arrived on the scene and began to assist with addressing three occupants of the vehicle.

At one point during the traffic stop, the passenger in the back seat of the car where the 2-month-old baby was contained, was asked to exit the vehicle at which time he immediately exited and produced a short stock rifle which he began firing at Deputy Potters. The man was identified as 38-year-old Paris Wilder of Cocoa. Deputy Potters was immediately shot by Wilder in the lower leg, at which time both Deputies returned fire in an effort to save their own lives, protect the others at the scene, and the 2-month-old baby in the rear of the car that was directly in the middle of the shootout.

Wilder was the initial aggressor in this case as he concealed his weapon until he exited the vehicle and immediately began firing on Deputies in an attempt to take their lives and avoid arrest as he was wanted on several warrants. As Wilder continued to violently engage Deputies, he concealed himself multiple times behind the cars and eventually ran up behind Deputy Potters and used the butt of the rifle, to strike him multiple times in the head causing significant lacerations and tissue damage.

Deputy Thoman on the scene once again engaged Wilder and shot him multiple times, eliminating the threat to himself and Deputy Potters…with the suspect being subsequently pronounced dead. Wilder was a Registered Career Criminal with 23 felony arrests and 17 misdemeanor arrests for narcotics trafficking, aggravated assault with a weapon, robbery with a firearm, battery on law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence and attempted first-degree felony murder. Deputy Potters is expected to make a full recovery.

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