Traffic stop in Carville ends in officer involved shooting incident at Rocky Top

ROCKY TOP, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- At the request of 7th Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark, TBI agents are investigating the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday evening in Anderson County.

Preliminary information indicates that just after 11:30 p.m., a deputy with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop in Caryville. The deputy approached the vehicle and observed a male subject armed with a gun. The man sped away, and a pursuit ensued. An officer with the Jacksboro Police Department and an officer with the Rocky Top Police Department joined the pursuit. The driver led law enforcement onto Interstate 75 Southbound and into Anderson County. At approximately mile marker 127, the driver pulled over and exited the vehicle. At some point during the encounter, for reasons still under investigation, shots were fired by a Campbell County deputy, the Jacksboro officer, and the Rocky Top officer.  Despite being struck by gunfire, the man returned to the vehicle and left the scene. The pursuit ended when the subject’s vehicle was hit and forcibly stopped by an Anderson County deputy. The man was transported to an area hospital for treatment. No officers were injured. The Tennessee Highway Patrol was requested to conduct the crash investigation.

TBI agents are working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for his further review and consideration. The TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters. That decision rests with the District Attorney General requesting TBI’s involvement. 

The TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead refers questions of that nature to the respective department to answer as it sees fit.

NOTES: The southbound lanes of I-75 were closed for the better part of five hours as a result of the incident. Traffic was directed off the interstate at Exit 129 onto Hwy 25W south. The interstate was shutdown from Mile Marker 126 to MM 122 (Clinton-Norris Exit).

The suspect was airlifted from the interstate via a medical helicopter.

The pursuit began at 11:34pm Thursday with the call of the suspect detained coming in at 11:48pm, according to dispatch notes. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-12/27/2024-1PM)

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