CAMBRIDGE — A Wicomico County deputy sheriff is recovering from a gunshot wound and a suspect wanted on multiple arrest warrants is in custody and facing more charges as Maryland State Police continue the investigation into the attempted murder of a police officer Wednesday morning in Dorchester County.
The suspect is identified as Tavone A. Dobson, 22, of no fixed address in Cambridge, Md. Dobson is currently being held in the Dorchester County Detention Center. In addition to the warrants that had already been issued for him, Dobson is facing charges in connection with the shooting of a deputy sheriff today who is a member of a warrant task force attempting to arrest him. The deputy is identified as Deputy First Class Thomas Funk, 29, of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office. He is a member of the United States Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. The task force includes members of municipal, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies who work together to identify and apprehend wanted fugitives. The preliminary investigation by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit indicates Funk was one of the task force members who entered the residence after being admitted entrance by a female inside. Other members of the task force had formed a perimeter around the exterior of the building. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect shot at Funk while he was inside the residence. Funk was wounded once in the arm. He returned fire, but did not strike the suspect. He was able to break out a window in the second floor of the home and escape onto a roof before jumping to the ground. Other officers came to his aid and assisted him to EMS care nearby before he was transported to the hospital. The investigation indicates Dobson also moved throughout the house and shot multiple times out windows at police officers on the perimeter outside. The preliminary investigation indicates several officers outside the residence returned fire, but the suspect was not hit.
Police on the scene initiated a dialog with Dobson, which continued until shortly after 1 p.m. when he surrendered.