The Eyrie

CANTON, TX — A Van Zandt County deputy was killed and a Canton police officer was injured after a suspect fired more than 800 rounds from a semi-automatic rifle during a Tuesday night shootout, Sheriff Kevin Bridger said Friday.

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Mi Van Nguyen, was later found dead inside his Canton home. Bridger said deputies and officers were there to help serve felony warrants tied to aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a peace officer.

The sheriff described the attack as a violent ambush and said the episode left both law enforcement and the wider community grieving. Authorities have not said whether Nguyen died by suicide or from gunfire exchanged with officers.

Deputies and police had gone to serve felony warrants south of Canton

According to the Van Zandt County sheriff’s office, deputies were assisting the Canton Police Department when they went to the home in the 4300 block of State Highway 198, just south of Canton. Officials said the team arrived at about 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Bridger said the situation escalated about 20 minutes later, when the suspect opened fire in what he described as “an un-Godly amount of gunfire.” He called the violence “pure evil” during a Friday news conference.

The sheriff said the deputies and officers were carrying out their duties when the shooting broke out. The call involved felony warrants, but authorities have not released additional details about the underlying allegations.

Deputy Adam Al-Sherifi died and Officer Chris Watson was hurt

Deputy Adam Al-Sherifi was struck during the gunfire and later died from his injuries, Bridger said. Canton Police Officer Chris Watson was also hit and is recovering.

Bridger said another officer helped provide life-saving measures while the gunfire was still continuing. He praised that response, saying the officer stayed focused and helped protect everyone at the scene.

The sheriff said Al-Sherifi’s death has hit the department hard. Watson’s injuries were serious enough to require recovery time, but officials did not provide an update on his condition beyond saying he is recovering.

Sheriff says the suspect was found dead inside the home

When the shooting stopped, officers found Nguyen dead from a gunshot wound inside the home, Bridger said. Investigators have not confirmed whether that wound was self-inflicted or caused during the exchange of gunfire with law enforcement.

The sheriff did not release further details about the end of the confrontation. Authorities also did not say how many officers were on scene or how long the exchange lasted beyond the estimate that it began about 20 minutes after arrival.

Bridger said the scale of the gunfire was extraordinary, pointing to the more than 800 rounds fired with the rifle. The sheriff’s comments underscored how quickly the warrant operation turned into a deadly confrontation.

Al-Sherifi was remembered as a husband and father of two

Bridger said Al-Sherifi was a husband and father of two children, including a newborn. His widow and mother attended Friday’s news conference, where they sat with other deputies as the department honored his memory.

The sheriff said there were no words that could ease the pain felt by the family, the department and the community. He said the loss reaches far beyond the sheriff’s office because of Al-Sherifi’s role as both a deputy and a family man.

Friday’s remarks focused heavily on grief, support and the human toll of the killing. Bridger said the community’s pain was shared by law enforcement across the county.

Community grief grew as a separate house fire killed a mother and four children

Law enforcement and residents are also mourning a second tragedy in the same week. The following day, a house fire killed a mother and four children, while the father and a fifth child were recovering from their injuries.

The mother was identified as 27-year-old Jasmine Henson, and Bridger said she was the daughter of a sheriff’s deputy. He described the losses as deeply personal because the families are part of the same community that police serve.

Bridger also thanked neighboring counties and local residents for their support, prayers and fundraisers. He asked the public to keep helping the grieving families as the county faces back-to-back heartbreak.

Canton schools and residents plan tributes and donations

A moment of silence is planned before Friday night’s Canton High School football game in honor of the victims and their families. Donations are also being collected for the Henson family.

The sheriff said the community has responded with compassion, turning to memorials and fundraising as a way to show support. Those efforts come as officers continue to grieve the loss of Al-Sherifi and Watson continues to recover.

Bridger’s message Friday was one of mourning, gratitude and solidarity. He said the county is bound together by the people who live there, and that bond matters most during days like these.