At 10 am Wednesday, May 9, a shooting suspect turned himself in to Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Detectives at the Sheriff’s Operation Center , 4917 U.S. Highway 90 E in Lake City.
The shooting investigation began Tuesday night when a 911 caller reported a disturbance with shots fired at a home on SE Robinhood Place in south Columbia County.
As Deputies arrived, it was learned that the shooter had left the area in a vehicle. The investigation revealed a female and her boyfriend were sitting on the front porch of the home when the female’s estranged husband Thomas Defoor drove up.
Thomas approached his wife and struck her with his fist and then displayed a handgun saying he was going to kill her. The other male intervened by pushing Thomas away from the female and Thomas fell, firing a round from the gun. The victim and witness were able to get the gun away from Thomas and took it into the house locking Thomas out.
Thomas began trying to enter the home as they ran out the back of the house into the woods behind the home. Thomas forcefully entered the home and retrieved a rifle and fired several rounds into the wooded area. Thomas also shot several rounds into the victim and witness’ cars at the home.
A bolo was sent to surrounding law enforcement agencies. As the investigation continued, it was believed Thomas may be headed to a friend’s home in Jacksonville. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was advised and they located Thomas’s vehicle on Wednesday morning at an apartment complex but Thomas had already left after borrowing his friend’s car to drive to Lake City to turn himself in.
Detectives interviewed Thomas and he was arrested on a warrant for attempted murder, aggravated assault, domestic battery, and criminal mischief. A search warrant was executed on his truck and a rifle and pistol were seized as evidence.
Thomas Defoor, 58 is being booked into the Columbia County Detention facility at this time with no bond. This case is active and on-going.
