Deputy now in private room while recovering from gunshot wounds

JEFFERSON COUNTY - An Orange County deputy who was shot by a 16-year-old outside the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Justice Center is now in a private room and recovering from two gunshot wounds to the upper left chest near the shoulder.

Deputy Fred Ashworth, 45, was shot after transporting the teen back to the center Thursday morning following a court hearing.

Ashworth is in critical but stable condition at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth. He was moved from ER to a private room following surgery Thursday, during which doctors removed one bullet. They left the other one in until swelling subsides.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Orange County Sheriff's Office and several other law enforcement agencies are investigating the shooting of Deputy Ashworth.

Ashworth has 20 years of experience and was assigned to the prisoner transport division. He was returning the teen to the juvenile center following the teen's hearing in Orange County on charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Evading Arrest/Detention.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation.

Investigators want to know how the juvenile got the deputy's gun and why the 16-year-old shot him twice in the upper chest. Law enforcement officers have been at the detention center all day gathering evidence to help them with the case.

"Initially we contacted law enforcement," says Chief Edward Cockrell from the justice center.

"10:20 a.m. we received a call. Shots fired and officer down," says Jefferson County Deputy Rod Carroll. The juvenile was confined at the Minnie Rogers center and was at a hearing to have his probation revoked.

Jefferson County Sheriff Mitch Woods says there was a "struggle inside the sally port, got the deputy's gun, shots fired."

Sheriff Woods says the teen took the deputy's 40 caliber handgun and shot 45-year-old Deputy Fred Ashworth twice in the upper left chest near his shoulder.

Investigators say there was a short standoff with the teen during which workers from the Minnie Rogers center and the wounded deputy tried to talk him into putting down the gun.

Deputy Rod Carroll was one of the first officers on the scene. He and others began treating Deputy Ashworth. Carroll is a certified critical care paramedic.

"I went from peace officer to paramedic and I wasn't even worried about the suspect at that point," said Carroll.

Carroll says Ashworth armed himself with a Taser and had the wherewithal not to give up. He knew help was on the way.

"Obviously an adrenaline rush. He was conscious the entire time. He was worried about his family," said Carroll.

Deputy Carroll says Ashworth wasn't wearing a protective vest when he was shot.

Carroll says the teen was shackled hand and foot and handcuffed but somehow got out of the handcuffs. Investigators are trying to determine how the juvenile managed to get free of the cuffs.

The 16-year-old is now charged with attempted capital murder. Justice of the Peace Ken Dollinger traveled to the justice center to read the charge to the teen. It will be up to Judge Larry Thorne or Judge Randy Shelton to decide if the juvenile will be tried as an adult. The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office is handling the case along with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

(Earlier report) JEFFERSON COUNTY - An Orange County Deputy has been shot by a juvenile suspect outside the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Justice Center in Jefferson County, according to information KFDM News has received from Jefferson County Sheriff Mitch Woods.

The deputy is in stable condition and out of surgery. Doctors removed one bullet from his upper left chest near his shoulder and left a second bullet in until swelling goes down.

The wounded law enforcement officer is identified as Deputy Fred Ashworth, 45, according to Sgt. Chad Hogan with the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The deputy was shot twice in the upper left portion of the chest below the shoulder, according to Sheriff Woods. He was taken by ambulance to Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth. Woods told KFDM News the deputy was in surgery at noon and Woods said the deputy is expected to recover. His family is at the hospital.

According to Sheriff Woods, the 16-year-old juvenile had been transported from the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Detention Center for a hearing at the Orange County Courthouse. Sgt. Hogan told KFDM News the juvenile at a probation revocation hearing following charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest/detention.

The Orange County deputy was returning the juvenile to the Minnie Rogers center at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Woods says they were at the sally port and outside of the deputy's car when the juvenile began struggling with the deputy. The juvenile somehow got the deputy's 40 caliber service weapon and shot him twice in the chest.

Woods told KFDM News there was a brief standoff following the shooting, during which the wounded deputy and other law enforcement officers at the sally port urged the juvenile to drop the weapon and give up. The juvenile surrendered.

The juvenile has been charged with Attempted Capital Murder.

Sgt. Chad Hogan told KFDM News the deputy wasn't wearing a protective vest. The juvenile was handcuffed. Investigators are trying to determine how he was able to get the deputy's weapon while in handcuffs.

KFDM has several reporters and photographers covering the story. Stay with KFDM News for live reports and with kfdm.com for updates.