A manhunt for Craig Berry, a special forces veteran accused of shooting his wife in Tennessee, entered a sixth day on Wednesday.
Berry, 53, is wanted for second-degree attempted murder and has been on the run since the early morning hours of May 1. Deputies had responded to his residence in Dover around 1:30 a.m. that day after Berry's wife called 911 to report she had been shot during a domestic dispute. Berry was last seen in a blurry trail camera image entering the woods near the home early that morning, authorities said.
The Stewart County Sheriff's Office has said it is working with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol to locate Berry. The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information. Authorities have urged residents to call 911 if they see anything suspicious and warned that Berry, who has extensive military training, is armed and dangerous.
Berry's wife was hospitalized after the shooting, but she has since been released, Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray confirmed to CNN. Gray also told the network that investigators know Berry made a phone call to his parents after the shooting and that they have been cooperating with the investigation.
Newsweek has contacted the sheriff's office for further comment via email.
Berry's wife called 911, saying she was shot during a domestic dispute, CNN reported, citing an arrest affidavit from the Stewart County Sheriff's Office.
Gray told the outlet that Berry returned home after the shooting, changed into camouflage clothing and is thought to have gotten hold of more ammunition.
A trail camera captured an image of a man authorities believe to be Berry running into the woods near his home around 12:15 a.m.
Deputies responded to the area around 1:30 a.m., and the sheriff's office announced it was working with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to search for Berry.
In a Facebook post, the sheriff's office said it had scaled back on the search in the woods but was still "actively looking" for Berry. According to the post, Gray said apprehending Berry could be a "lengthy process," and the public should call 911 if they "see anything suspicious."
The post also included the blurry trail camera photo and urged residents to check their trail cameras for any sightings.
A warrant for second-degree attempted murder was obtained for Berry, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office also announced it was working with the U.S. Marshals Service and would be working with several law enforcement agencies to conduct a "very detailed search" of the area from River Trace Road to Highway 79 to parts of Highway 232 this week.
According to the sheriff's office, Berry is armed with at least one handgun and is believed to have taken extra ammunition. The sheriff's office said investigators did not believe Berry had a phone, but they have not ruled out the possibility that he has received outside help.
The U.S. Marshals Service released a wanted poster with a photo and description of Berry, saying it is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information. Berry is described as being 5 feet, 11 inches tall; having brown hair and blue eyes; and weighing 185 pounds.
Berry's wife told authorities that she was hit in the head several times and that Berry had tried to strangle her after an argument turned physical, CNN reported, citing the arrest affidavit.
She ran to her vehicle and Berry chased after her, shooting her in the neck, the affidavit said. She managed to drive away, and Berry got into his truck to give chase but crashed, the affidavit continued.
She was taken to the hospital to be treated for her injuries. Gray said she had since been released.
Stewart County Schools confirmed to local news station King 5 that Berry's wife is a teacher in the district, but it declined to release her name.
On Friday, the school district said in a statement on Facebook that it was aware of a "serious incident involving one of our staff members."
The statement said: "Please know that this incident did not occur on school grounds, and there is no ongoing threat to our schools. Our thoughts are with our staff member and her loved ones during this time. We will continue to respect her privacy."
Berry is a special forces veteran with "extensive training in survival tactics," Stewart County Sheriff's Office said on Monday. "He is an excellent swimmer and diver, and is in good physical shape."
A spokesperson for the U.S. Army confirmed to Newsweek that Berry served in the Army from 1992 to 2016.
"Craig M. Berry was an Infantryman (11B) and Special Forces Medical Sergeant (18D) in the regular Army from 1992 to 2016. He left the Army as a sergeant first class," spokesperson Christopher Surridge said.
Berry was deployed to Iraq four times, between September 2003 and December 2014, Surridge added.