Blue Alert issued for suspect accused of shooting, killing Florida deputy as reward increases for his arrest
CALLAHAN, Fla. - A Blue Alert has been issued for Patrick McDowell, a man accused of shooting and killing Deputy Josh Moyers during a traffic stop in Callahan on Friday.
After learning Deputy Moyers would not survive his injuries, his family decided to donate his organs and was in the process of finding recipients over the weekend. Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leepers announced that Moyers died at 2:19 p.m. on Sunday at UF Health in Jacksonville.
The shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. near Micker Street in the Callahan area of U.S. 301, which is about about 20 miles away from Jacksonville. Deputy Moyers was taken to UF Health Jacksonville with life-threatening injuries.
Authorities say McDowell fled from the shooting scene and should be considered "armed and dangerous." He is also wanted for shooting a Jacksonville Sheriff’s K9 deputy.
McDowell is 35 years old and is 5 feet and 10 inches tall.
On Saturday, Nassau County Bill Sheriff Leeper said more than 300 law enforcement officers are searching a five-mile radius for McDowell. Sheriff Leeper said on Friday night, officials found a flashlight and a hat they believe belong to McDowell.
"If we find out anybody has helped him or is going to help him, to not do that. If we find out anyone has helped this guy, we're going to arrest you for preventing us from capturing him. This guy is dangerous. If you're in a home, and this guy breaks into your home and you have a gun- blow him out the door because he is like a rabid animal. He will kill you. That is his mindset. What he did to that deputy was uncalled for and unnecessary and he needs to pay for it," said Sheriff Leeper.
On Sunday, Leeper announced that the reward for information leading to the arrest of McDowell was up to $35,000.
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