PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The mayor of Port Richey is schedule to appear in court Friday after being arrested on charges of attempted murder of law enforcement officers, among others.

Dale Glen Massad was taken into custody early Thursday at his Hayward Lane home.

Deputies and agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were there to serve a search warrant, which was a result of a four-month investigation. 

"The suspect is a known drug user," Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said. "The suspect had multiple weapons in the house, which was prevalent in what happened. The suspect made statements he didn't want to go back to jail. The suspect has a previous history of violence."

Two shots were fired near the deputies, but no one was injured. Deputies did not return gunfire.

Massad, 68, was arrested on charges of practicing medicine without a license. He has served as Port Richey's mayor since 2015.   

The FDLE said Massad gave up his license to practice medicine in 1992 after investigators found that his treatment of a 3-year-old girl ultimately led to her death. However, it is unclear whether he stopped practicing medicine. 

Investigators have not said what kind of patients Massad was seeing at his home in recent months or how Port Richey Police found out about them.

If convicted on all counts, Massad could be looking at decades in prison.