Tarrant County deputy recovering after Fort Worth credit union shooting, suspect's bond increased

FORT WORTH, Texas - An off-duty Tarrant County deputy who was shot twice while working security at a Fort Worth credit union is recovering in the hospital. Meanwhile, the man accused of shooting him is behind bars and facing serious charges.

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said 35-year-old Leland Williams walked into Fort Worth Community Credit Union in east Fort Worth Monday afternoon and pulled a handgun in the lobby.

35-year-old Deputy Brent Brown was working an off-duty security job in uniform at the time and confronted Williams. He was shot twice in an exchange of gunfire – once in the upper chest and once in the lower abdomen.

The Sheriff's Office released this photo of the 12-year veteran.

Williams fled on foot but was taken into custody after a short manhunt.

SKY 4 captured video of Fort Worth police and a SWAT team surrounding a home on Lynwood Hills Drive, about half a mile away from where the shooting happened.

"Kind of scary," said Rutger Vanzanten, who lives in the area. "I know when I saw the cops yesterday it was kind of scary. Hearing everything in my neighborhood."

Records show Williams was arrested at the home where he lives.

"I heard the helicopters going over, and I walked outside, and I see cops over here, cops over there. blocking everything," Vanzanten said.

Williams is now being held in the Tarrant County jail for the attempted capital murder of a peace officer. His bond was initially set at $100,000.

Later in the day, Tarrant County judge Tim O'Hare posted that Williams' bond was raised to $1,000,000.

There were multiple cars at Williams' home on Tuesday, but no one answered the door for comment.

The Fort Worth Police Department is taking the lead on the investigation.

As of Tuesday morning, Deputy Brown is still in the ICU, but is reportedly alert and talking, and his prognosis is good. 

"TCSO would like to thank all the agencies that have reached out to offer support, not just from around Texas but around the nation," the department said in a news release.

The 35-year-old deputy has been with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office since 2011. 

Concerns Over Bond

Elected officials expressed concern over Williams' initial $100,000 bond, which was set by a magistrate judge.

That means Williams could have paid just $10,000 to walk out of jail.

Tarrant County Commissioner and former Police Officers Association President Manny Ramirez called the bond decision a "slap in the face."

"The way that we can actually get justice for Deputy Brown is making sure no one else is victimized like he was, and in that process, you cannot let a dangerous criminal on a low bond," Ramirez told FOX 4.

Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells released a statement saying, "A magistrate set the bond at $100,000. The Fort Worth Police Department sent the case to us. We filed the charge of attempted capital murder and are requesting that the district judge raise the bond to $500,000."

"We are going to do everything we can to protect those who protect us," the statement continues. "I am going to make sure that, like Officer Brown, we go the extra mile in seeking justice." 

By the end of the day Tuesday, Williams' bond was raised to $1,000,000, double the amount the DA asked for.

The new conditions were signed by a district court judge.

Tarrant County judge Tim O'Hare called the original bond "ridiculously low and totally unacceptable" in a post online announcing the bond increase. 

Williams has been arrested multiple times, but Tarrant County records show only one conviction for misdemeanor theft in 2010.

Williams has appointed an attorney.

FOX 4 reached out for a statement, but haven't heard back.