Spotsylvania Detective Shoots Man In Robbery Attempt

(UPDATED 7:11 p.m.): Spotsylvania County deputies have arrested Lexy Clay Dove Sr., 48, of Orange County on charges of attempted robbery, assault on a store clerk and assault on a law enforcement officer after an alleged armed robbery at Dollar General this afternoon.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Harvey said that the detective witnessed a black male grab the clerk and point something at her back while demanding money.

"The detective identified himself from outside the store," Harvey said. "The suspect left the store and the detective could see what he initially thought was a knife in the suspect’s hand. The detective ordered the suspect to drop the knife at gunpoint. The suspect did not comply and the detective grabbed the suspect in an attempt to get him to drop the weapon.  The suspect would not drop the weapon, later determined to be a pair of scissors, and began struggling with the detective."

Harvey said the detective, who has not been named yet, feared the suspect might stab him with the scissors so he fired one shot from his service pistol, striking the suspect in the leg. Harvey said the suspect continued to struggle with the detective until another deputy helped him handcuff the suspect.

The suspect was transported to Mary Washington Hospital where he was treated and released.  The detective was treated by rescue on scene. 

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(UPDATE 5:50 p.m.): An off-duty detective walked in on an armed robbery in progress in Spotsylvania County Tuesday afternoon, shooting the suspect in the leg, according to Spotsylvania County Lt. Troy J. Skebo.

A scuffle ensued with the suspect, described as a black male. The detective shot the suspect in the leg. He is in stable condition at Mary Washington Hospital, according to Skebo.

The detective, whose name has not been released, called to report the armed robbery at 2:55 p.m. from the store in the Village Square, a strip mall just west of Fredericksburg.

Police say the suspect had a weapon, but police have not disclosed what that weapon was. The responding deputy had to assist the detective in handcuffing the suspect, who was fighting to get away.

The suspect's name has not been released. According to Skebo "we are still trying to positively identify him. We think we know who he is." 

The detective was off-duty and came into the store to shop. Police interviewed at least 10 witnesses on the scene. "We have some very good witnesses," Skebo said. 

Cathy Drummond, of BOA Martial Arts next door, said she saw a deputy run around the corner of the store and then run back to his cruiser. 

"He zoomed around to the back," she said. Drummond then went and made sure she had all of the doors to the martial arts school secured because she wasn't sure what had happened.

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A member of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's office shot a man earlier this afternoon who was involved in an alleged robbery attempt, according to law enforcement officials.

One witness who was Hancock Fabrics reported seeing dozens of law enforcement cruisers at the store parking lot.

The man who was shot has been transported to the hospital and he is still alive.

Patch will update this story as more details become available.