The family of the Taylor County deputy whose shooting sparked a massive manhunt and prompted a “Florida Blue Alert” for his suspected shooter said his condition is improving as he continues to recover in the hospital, according to a report from WCTV.
The Tallahassee TV station said the deputy, Troy Andersen, was reportedly stable at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, where he was airlifted.
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He was shot in the jaw, neck and hand, a family member said, and needed reconstructive surgery on his face.
A family post on Facebook indicated Anderson was able to interact somewhat with family members, giving a thumbs up and squeezing their hands.
The man accused of shooting Anderson, Gregory Miedema, was killed while trying to break into a home Wednesday morning, authorities said.
RELATED: Man at the center of ‘Florida Blue Alert’ killed in shootout with homeowner
Deputies found Miedema dead at a Dixie County home following a 10-hour manhunt, Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agent Mark Perez said during a news conference.
Miedema apparently broke into the resident’s home just over the Taylor County-Dixie County line and traded gunshots with the homeowner. Miedema was killed, and the homeowner suffered a wound to his shoulder.
A Florida Blue Alert was issued after Andersen was shot three times during a traffic stop on U.S. 19 South approximately six miles south of Salem around 10 p.m. Tuesday.
Blue alerts are issued when a law enforcement officer is killed, seriously injured or missing in the line of duty.