October 13, 2006

Charlottesville police are hunting a man who apparently tried to shoot his girlfriend in court square this morning. The hunt for this man also had a local elementary school on modified lock down Friday.

It’s a bizarre story police say started when Elvis Gene Shifflett never showed up for court this morning to face an assault and battery charge. The woman he allegedly assaulted was there and when she left the court Shifflett police said was waiting for her.

The woman got into her car parked in front of the BB&T bank and out of no where police say her ex-boyfriend Shifflett appears and pulls a gun through the window of her car. She fought him off.

“All indications he was trying to shoot her because the revolver was striking her in the hand which can only happen if he pulls the trigger. She received some injuries from that the hammer striking her,” said Charlottesville Police Lt. Gary Pleasants.

The gun never went off. The woman put her car in reverse and dragged the suspect. He then took off on foot. Police did not catch him.

The woman and Shifflett have a child together who attends Walton Middle School. The school was put on modified lock down just in case the dad showed up there.

Walton Principal Eric Johnson told us they decided to lock the school doors and check IDs of anyone who entered the school just as a precaution but classes continued as normal and there were no problems at the school.

Police are asking for your help to find Shifflett. He was last seen wearing a black leather dale Earnhardt jacket #3, blue jeans and tennis shoes. He is armed so police are urging caution if you see him.

Police have three warrants for his arrest: failure to appear, attempted malicious shooting and brandishing a firearm. Immediately call crime stoppers at 434-977-4000 if you spot him.