A shootout in Vero Beach left law enforcement officers injured and the suspect hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds after officers attempted to apprehend a man wanted for sexual assault in Colorado.A portion of 12th Street in Vero Beach was shut down for hours as sheriff’s deputies conducted their investigation. Officials said law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, Indian River and Martin County Sheriff’s Office were trying to take the suspect, Thomas Steffens, into custody when he fired shots at them. Officers then returned fire using both lethal and non-lethal bullets.Members of the task force waited for Steffens and an unknown female to leave a restaurant before taking him into custody. “A take down in a restaurant, not what we were going to do, a take down inside a Publix, not what we’re going to do,” Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. “So, our team waited for them to get to 12th street our team waited for a safe location.”Steffens, a 72-year-old former neurosurgeon who was suspended from the veteran’s hospital in 2025, was shot four times. Officials expressed concern due to statements made by Steffens. “The team that was investigating this had constant entail intel that suspect had made statements that he was going to out in a blaze that he was going to kill multiple law enforcement I believe the number was three. That he intended to kill law enforcement, that he wasn’t going to be taken alive,” Flowers said.Officials said once the vehicle was stopped, the female driver exited, but Steffens refused to comply several times and fired shots at officers, who returned fire using both lethal and non-lethal rounds. Photos released by officials show bullet holes in the vehicle. Steffens was shot four times and is expected to survive.Steffens had been on the run since Feb. 25 for reportedly drugging and raping a woman in Colorado and had only been in Florida for 24 hours before his arrest.Investigators said Steffens took a bus to Florida and was picked up by that woman who was driving the vehicle where the shooting happened.They said the two went to dinner in Indian River County before he was taken into custody”I’m happy that the residents of Indian River County, in this case, no one was hurt,” Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said. “And I’m appalled, of course, the actions of a doctor who has a position of trust, who took that position and violated it and continued to violate it by coming down here to Florida and engaging our deputies in a gun battle.”Officials said one U.S. Marshal was struck in the leg but is doing okay, and an Indian River County deputy sustained a minor leg injury, possibly from shrapnel.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.

VERO BEACH, Fla. —

A shootout in Vero Beach left law enforcement officers injured and the suspect hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds after officers attempted to apprehend a man wanted for sexual assault in Colorado.

A portion of 12th Street in Vero Beach was shut down for hours as sheriff’s deputies conducted their investigation.

Officials said law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, Indian River and Martin County Sheriff’s Office were trying to take the suspect, Thomas Steffens, into custody when he fired shots at them. Officers then returned fire using both lethal and non-lethal bullets.

Members of the task force waited for Steffens and an unknown female to leave a restaurant before taking him into custody.

“A take down in a restaurant, not what we were going to do, a take down inside a Publix, not what we’re going to do,” Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. “So, our team waited for them to get to 12th street our team waited for a safe location.”

Steffens, a 72-year-old former neurosurgeon who was suspended from the veteran’s hospital in 2025, was shot four times.

Officials expressed concern due to statements made by Steffens. “The team that was investigating this had constant entail intel that suspect had made statements that he was going to out in a blaze that he was going to kill multiple law enforcement I believe the number was three. That he intended to kill law enforcement, that he wasn’t going to be taken alive,” Flowers said.

Officials said once the vehicle was stopped, the female driver exited, but Steffens refused to comply several times and fired shots at officers, who returned fire using both lethal and non-lethal rounds. Photos released by officials show bullet holes in the vehicle. Steffens was shot four times and is expected to survive.

Steffens had been on the run since Feb. 25 for reportedly drugging and raping a woman in Colorado and had only been in Florida for 24 hours before his arrest.

Investigators said Steffens took a bus to Florida and was picked up by that woman who was driving the vehicle where the shooting happened.

They said the two went to dinner in Indian River County before he was taken into custody

“I’m happy that the residents of Indian River County, in this case, no one was hurt,” Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said. “And I’m appalled, of course, the actions of a doctor who has a position of trust, who took that position and violated it and continued to violate it by coming down here to Florida and engaging our deputies in a gun battle.”

Officials said one U.S. Marshal was struck in the leg but is doing okay, and an Indian River County deputy sustained a minor leg injury, possibly from shrapnel.

Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25

Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.