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Police Relieved Violent Career Criminal Is Off The Streets

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A career criminal who fired on Miami-Dade police in a desperate bid to escape custody earlier this week has been captured in Tennessee.

Matthew Pryor, 30, who was found in a motel room in Knoxville, didn't go down without a fight.

"They knocked on the door. When the door was open and suspect fired one round. The round struck an officer, he was struck in the vest," said Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch.

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Rausch said that vest saved the officer's life. After the shooting Pryor barricaded himself inside the room.

"I there just after the gunshot and the officers kept telling the gentleman to come out because he kept shooting at the officers. He finally he slid his gun out the front door and they took him into custody," said Daniel Pedleton.

Chief Rausch met with officer Jimmy Wilson Thursday.

"He's a tough young man, he's doing really well. We're allowing him to take a couple days off to spend with his family."

He also added that tactical training was followed in the approach at the motel.

"In law-enforcement and in the community it should be a great relief that this violent individual is off the streets," said Miami-Dade Deputy Police Chief Juan Perez.

The manhunt for Pryor began Tuesday morning in North Miami Beach after he reportedly fired on officers who had gone to his home with an arrest warrant.

"It was a near miss for us, everything could have turned upside down for us," said Perez.

After the shooting, Pryor took off on foot and was struck by a car. He then carjacked a woman and took off in her Nissan Rogue. An all out search began and Wednesday night that stolen SUV was spotted in the parking lot of the Knoxville motel.

That police were able to take him into custody, and not kill him, was a relief to Pryor's mother.

"I feel good about it. I didn't want him to die, he didn't deserve to die. He didn't kill anybody. I know he shot at the police officer over there but he was afraid, he was boxed in," said Elaine Pryor.

The family said Pryor has a history of psychiatric problems and, aside from his long criminal history and prison stay, he's had issues with drug abuse and was recently in rehab.

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