WALTON, Ky. — Two Boone County sheriff’s deputies, Gerald Mitchell Wilmes and Kyle Florer, who were shot last week while serving a warrant in Walton, are “in good spirits” and recovering from their injuries at home, according to Major Philip Ridgell.
The Shooting
The incident began just after 10 p.m. when deputies attempted to serve the arrest warrant at the apartment of 39-year-old Justin Chapman. According to Ridgell, when deputies first contacted Chapman via a doorbell camera, he refused to come out and made clear he had no intention of cooperating.
As deputies sought supervisory support and backup, more officers and SWAT team members converged on the scene. After about 30 minutes of repeated announcements identifying themselves as law enforcement, deputies breached the door and entered. Almost immediately, they were met with heavy gunfire.
Both Wilmes and Florer were shot with a .40 caliber Glock pistol. Wilmes sustained gunshot wounds to both legs, while Florer was struck multiple times in the chest. Authorities say Florer’s bulletproof vest saved his life, stopping a round near the upper chest that could have been fatal.
Ridgell credited both the deputies’ vests and the tourniquets carried by officers in the field for preventing a far worse outcome. “Without that vest, it would have been an utter tragedy,” Ridgell said.
Deputies’ Recovery
Following emergency treatment at UC Medical Center, both deputies were discharged from the hospital within days. Video released by the sheriff’s office showed Wilmes being escorted out of the hospital Monday night, while Florer had been released the Friday before.
Wilmes, a veteran of the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, had been serving as a field training officer for Florer, who had just joined the department in July.
“There is a road to recovery for both of them, I’m sure mentally and physically,” Ridgell said. “They’re two really tough individuals and we are proud of how they’ve responded to this incident.”
The Suspect’s Death
After the exchange of gunfire, Chapman barricaded himself inside the apartment. For hours, law enforcement—including SWAT teams—attempted to establish communication and deployed gas canisters. When Chapman did not respond, a drone was sent inside and located him unresponsive in a second-floor bedroom.
SWAT team members then entered and determined Chapman had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In a Facebook Live video Chapman posted during the standoff, he confessed to shooting deputies and stated he knew he was firing at law enforcement. Ridgell confirmed investigators have obtained that video, which is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
Though Deputy Florer returned fire during the initial exchange, an autopsy confirmed that none of his rounds struck Chapman. All of Chapman’s injuries were self-inflicted, according to officials.
A Troubled History
Court records reveal Chapman had a lengthy criminal history spanning more than 16 years. His record included repeated failures to pay child support, resisting arrest, and domestic violence allegations.
In 2009, a Walton woman filed for a protective order, claiming Chapman assaulted her while she was holding their infant and repeatedly threatened to kill her. That case was dismissed, but in 2010 the same woman successfully obtained another protective order after Chapman was arrested for assault in Gallatin County. Together
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