By Blake Deshazo

Selma Times-Journal

A 39-year-old man died early Monday morning during a shootout with a Dallas County sheriff’s deputy.

According to Chief Deputy Randy Pugh, the deputy was responding to a domestic violence call between a man and his ex-wife at her home in Safford around 1:15 a.m. District Attorney Michael Jackson identified the man as Thomas Monts of Greensboro.

“[Deputies] got a call between husband and ex-wife, and he wasn’t there,” Pugh said. “They made a report. Some time later they got another call back down there.”

Pugh said Monts came outside and opened fire on the responding deputy as he pulled into the driveway.

“When the officer pulled into the driveway, [Monts} came out firing at him and actually struck the vehicle,” Pugh said. “The bullet went through the vehicle’s front window and almost hit the officer. The deputy was lucky to be alive.”

The deputy then took cover behind his patrol car and exchanged fire with Monts.

“At that time there was some fire exchanged back and fourth,” Pugh said. “The subject was hit and was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The deputy, who has been with the department since 2005, has been placed on administrative leave.

“The State Bureau of Investigations is handling it,” Pugh said. “The officer is on leave at this time and until they get through with their investigation.”

Pugh said it is standard procedure for the ABI to take over an investigation when an officer fires his weapon.

There are questions concerning whether Monts was killed by gunfire from the deputy. District Attorney Michael Jackson has requested on autopsy to determine how Monts died.

“We ordered an autopsy because there is a question about whether the deputy’s bullet killed him or if it was a self-inflicted wound,” Jackson said. “We’re not sure at this point.”

The deputy will remain on leave until ABI concludes its investigation.