Charles Vaughn III, 26, is in custody and recuperating from gunshot wounds after a kidnapping a man and committing two robberies Thursday. Vaughn is wanted in several states and has federal warrants for his arrest.
Richard Camp was in his car off Alexis Lane when Charles Vaughn kidnapped him at gunpoint, and demanded to be driven first to a bank, then a CVS pharmacy. Vaughn robbed both. He then ordered the victim to drive to a wooded area off Fred George Road where he exited the vehicle. Law enforcement tracked Vaughn in the woods, where he began shooting. Leon County Sheriff Deputies and a U.S. Marshall returned fire, hitting Vaughn twice. He was also bitten by a police dog.
“He picked that victim out randomly, but he made a comment that he was lucky he was not a cop. Because if he’d randomly picked out a cop, he would have killed him.," said Sheriff Mike Wood.
Vaughn has federal warrants for his arrest, and committed more than a dozen robberies in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky as well as two in Tallahassee. He’s currently in the hospital and will be sent to the Leon County Jail once medically cleared. Wood says Vaughn was wearing body armor, and had a backpack with more ammunition, food, water and clothes.
“He had with him a backpack that had additional ammunition, food, water and a change of clothes. Maybe to suggest he was going to spend some time in the woods, I’m not sure. I’m speculating at that point.”
The Tallahassee Police Department, and Florida Highway Patrol also helped track Vaughn. The U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force was in the area working another case and responded to the call.
"It wasn't anything pre-planned on our part," said U.S. Marshal Ed Spooner. "It's being available and being prepared to respond, is what it is."
Sheriff Deputies Brian Pearson and Gary Jamison shot Vaughn. Wood says they’ve cleared to come back to work after a mandatory meeting with a psychiatrist, which is part of the department’s policy.
