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DIXIE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) \u2014 “Makes you open your eyes to the prevalence of things going on around us.”<\/p>\n
Paul lives in Dixie County and says this was a complete shock.<\/p>\n
“To find out it happened down the road it really shocks me in this small community here.”<\/p>\n
At a press conference Wednesday, Taylor County Sheriff, Wayne Padgett, says Gregory Miedema shot Deputy Troy Andersen during a routine traffic stop on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
“He exited the vehicle, walked up to the vehicle, and came under fire.”<\/p>\n
Miedema then ran to a home just a few miles away in Tennille in Dixie County around 7:30 Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
“He exchanged gun fire with the suspect after the suspect entered his home.”<\/p>\n
Dixie County Sheriff, Darby Butler, says the homeowner shot and killed Miedema. <\/p>\n
Mark Perez with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said:<\/p>\n
“He [Miedema] is a registered sex offender in Lee County and we don’t know the exact reasons he was in North Florida.”<\/p>\n
Deputies found Miedema dead at the home along with multiple guns and his car. Something Paul and the community say is justice served.<\/p>\n
“I’m glad that justice prevailed in this case.”<\/p>\n
The homeowner who killed Miedema was shot but only has minor injuries. Another person was in the home at the time, but they were not hurt.<\/p>\n
As for Deputy Andersen,<\/p>\n
“He is loved by fellow officers, he is loved by the community.”<\/p>\n
Sheriff Wayne Padgett says Deputy Andersen is at Shands Hospital in Gainesville and will have to get facial reconstructive surgery.<\/p>\n
In the coming days, the Sheriffs say they’ll share how community members can support Deputy Andersen as well as the homeowner who shot Mediema. That homeowner is expected to get out of the hospital Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n