A Florida man visiting family in Kentucky found himself in a dangerous situation that led to his arrest. Tombe Juma-Kose Thomas, a 35-year-old from Florida, was taken into custody on December 28 after police say he fired a shot at two officers in Louisville. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but Thomas now faces two counts of attempted murder. He’s being held in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections on a $250,000 bond, with a preliminary court hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
Here’s how it all unfolded. Louisville Police were called to a home on Reutinlinger Avenue, where Thomas was staying in an Airbnb with his girlfriend during their visit to see family. Things took a turn when Thomas barricaded himself inside a bathroom, convinced there was an intruder in the house. He even accused his girlfriend of setting him up.
When officers arrived, they knocked on the bathroom window and announced themselves. That’s when Thomas fired a single shot toward the window. The bullet flew just over the officers’ heads, missing them by inches. Thankfully, no one was injured. After some tense moments, Thomas came out of the house and was arrested.
Later, Thomas told police he had fired a “warning shot” through the window, thinking he was in danger.
Thomas works for Volusia County Schools in Florida as an instructor for the Positive Alternative to School Suspension program at Atlantic High School. He previously taught Exceptional Student Education at Deltona High School and even served as a football coach at both schools. His connection to students and the community makes this incident even more surprising.
The school district released a statement, saying they are aware of the situation and have opened an internal investigation. They also stated that any actions regarding Thomas would depend on the findings of their investigation and the ongoing police investigation.
Before his teaching career, Thomas played as a fullback for Syracuse University, adding another layer to his story.
For now, the investigation continues, and more details may come to light in the coming days.