MELBOURNE, Fla. -- A Brevard County apartment complex was evacuated Thursday after an improvised explosive device was found in an apartment linked to a man accused of shooting a wildlife officer.

Lt. Ring of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office is working with the bomb squad at Christopher A. Eddy's girlfriend's apartment, where deputies discovered components for an explosive device.

Eddy is accused in the Wednesday shooting of a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer.

Deputies used a robot to retrieve the device so it could be detonated.

Twenty people were evacuated from their homes for several hours during the investigation.

Investigators sent photos of the apartment to FBI labs in Washington.

Ring confirmed that the apartment was searched because it was believed to be linked to the shooting of FWC officer Vann Streety.

Streety was shot while checking on a suspicious vehicle on state road 520 and Satellite Boulevard near Canaveral Groves around 8 p.m. Wednesday, wildlife officials said.

Streety, who lives in Cocoa, was attempting to arrest Eddy for warrants issued from Brevard County for multiple traffic violations, FWC officials said. Streety was wearing a bulletproof vest and was shot multiple times in his limbs and torso, the FWC said.

Streety is out of surgery and expected to make a full recovery.

During a news conference Thursday afternoon, officials said Eddy's girlfriend was believed to have been in the car at the time the incident occurred.

Officials said they are unsure whether Eddy, whom they consider armed and dangerous, remains in Brevard County.

Eddy fled the scene of the shooting in a silver Kia SUV, which was found at another location, deputies said. Investigators would not identify the location.

“We’re still trying to find the guy,” said Lenny Salberg, a spokesman for the wildlife agency.

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