Deputy Shot; Shooting Suspect Captured in Cabin

UPDATE: Shooting suspect, Jonathan Matthew Qualls, was found Tuesday, August 24 at 3:57 p.m. hiding in a cabin a couple miles north of where he allegedly fired four shots at Scott County Deputy Thomas Bowen. Local law enforcement officers continued their search yesterday for a man wanted on attempted capital murder charges of a Scott County Sheriff's Deputy following a Monday night shooting. He was discovered Tuesday afternoon hiding in a cabin, just north of the site where the shooting took place and taken into custody.

Local law enforcement officers continued their search yesterday for a man wanted on attempted capital murder charges of a Scott County Sheriff's Deputy following a Monday night shooting. He was discovered Tuesday afternoon hiding in a cabin, just north of the site where the shooting took place and taken into custody.

Scott County Sheriff John Puckett reported that Jonathan Matthew Qualls was wanted in connection with the shooting of Scott County Deputy Thomas Bowen, which occurred when Deputy Bowen was attempting to serve Qualls with a misdemeanor warrant.

Qualls is expected to face charges of attempted capital murder.

According to Puckett, the shooting occurred Monday evening shortly after 10 p.m. on Purchase Ridge in the western part of Scott County.

Qualls was found hiding in a cabin, just north of the scene where Bowen was shot. Puckett reported that federal, state and local law enforcement officers were on the scene and talked to the suspect for an hour before he was taken into custody at 3:57 p.m. on Aug. 24.

"We got him," the sheriff reported.

Deputy Bowen was shot twice, once in the arm and chest by the suspect at a residence located at 1449 Purchase Ridge Road, Duffield. After he was shot, the deputy notified Central Dispatch that he had been injured and drove himself to the intersection of Fairview Road and Highway 23.

He was airlifted by MedFlight to Wellmont - Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tenn., where he remains in stable condition.

At the site, Puckett noted that the search teams used dogs to locate the suspect. The manhunt lasted approximately 18 hours before Qualls was apprehended.

Bowen began working for the Scott County Sheriff's Office in January 2008.

Roads in the immediate area were closed as officers from the Scott County Sheriff's Office and Virginia State Police conducted a manhunt.

According to the sheriff, Deputy Bowen arrived at the Purchase Ridge home around 10 p.m. on Aug. 23 where Qualls, his wife and sister were living. When Bowen asked Qualls' wife if he was home, she said he was and Bowen approached the house.

The suspect was reportedly hiding on the porch and jumped off onto the ground. As Bowen approached, Puckett explained, Qualls allegedly fired four shots from a 45 caliber handgun with two shots hitting the deputy.

One of the shots hit Bowen in the forearm and went through his elbow. The second shot went through Bowen's bulletproof vest in his chest area. He underwent emergency surgery for the gunshot to his elbow.

Puckett said he believed the two knew each other prior to the shooting incident because other officers had agreed to accompany him to serve the warrant.

"He said there wouldn't be any problems," Puckett noted, "because he knew Mr. Qualls."

The sheriff stated that Qualls had previously served a prison sentence on involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from a shooting that occurred at the same residence. Qualls was released from jail the end of June after serving additional time on a probation violation, he added.

The Scott County Sheriff's Office, Virginia State Police, Duffield Rescue Squad, MedFlight, other localities and emergency personnel responded to the scene.

Persons with information in this case are asked to call the Scott County Sheriff's Office at 386-1351.

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