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Who is Gregory Ryan Miedema? Pedophile on the run after shooting sheriff's deputy

The officer, whose identity has not been released, reportedly sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to a hospital.

Florida authorities have launched a massive manhunt after a deputy was shot multiple times on Tuesday night, February 22, by a registered sex offender who remains on the loose.

Gregory Ryan Miedema is the prime suspect in the shooting of a Taylor County Sheriff's deputy, whose identity has not yet been released. The officer reportedly sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to hospital. According to a Facebook statement by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Miedema was last seen traveling on US Route 19 near the town of Perry. The 33-year-old was reportedly driving a 2000 gold Chrysler Sebring bearing the license plate YZ8TKU. The FDLE issued a "Blue Alert" in the hours after the shooting. A Blue Alert is issued when authorities are seeking the public's help in nabbing someone suspected of injuring or killing a sworn officer.

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Who is Gregory Ryan Miedema?

Gregory Ryan Miedema is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2011 while serving in the US Army. He was found guilty of Lewd or Lascivious Battery, Intercourse with a Victim 12 to 15 Years Old, and Possession of Child Pornography. The pedophile was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison and ordered to serve two months of probation. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office revealed that the former soldier had recently relocated and moved to Sarasota.

Miedema, who is listed as 5ft 8inches tall with brown hair and blue eyes, was not under the supervision of authorities at the time of the incident. The shooting took place after the suspect was prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare facility. Emergency services responded to the scene in Tampa County, Florida following reports of a shooting six miles south of Salem.

A Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson revealed how the unidentified Taylor County deputy officer sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was airlifted with life-threatening injuries to hospital. The suspected gunman fled the scene and was last spotted on US 19 near Deer Run Road in Perry, which is about 50 miles southeast of Tallahassee. Miedema may have been traveling in a 2000 gold Chrysler Sebring with a Florida License plate tag Y78TKU. Cops described the vehicle as having a dark-colored convertible top and advised the public not to approach the former soldier as he may be armed and dangerous.

What is a Blue Alert?

Blue alerts are activated by law enforcement to offer real-time information about a crime that's taken place against a police officer. The system has allowed law enforcement officials to alert the public about the location of an incident and provide any identifying information such as a suspect or vehicle description. The alerts are transmitted to TV and radio stations and later to cellphones and wireless devices. The system is meant to allow officials to quickly disseminate information to other law enforcement agencies, the public, as well as local media outlets.