TBI agents investigate officer-involved shooting in Chester County

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

At the request of 26th Judicial District Attorney General Jody Pickens, TBI special agents continue to investigate the circumstances of a Wednesday morning shooting involving Chester County Sheriff's Office officers.

Preliminary information indicates the incident originated in Chester County near Henderson when a Chester County deputy stopped a reckless vehicle around 9:15 a.m. The driver refused to stop and a chase ensued. During the pursuit, the driver briefly stopped, displayed a gun and pointed it at the deputies. This caused the deputies to fire their service weapons. The driver fled the scene and fired shots from the vehicle toward the officers during the chase. Multiple agencies joined the chase, which entered McNairy County and then Hardin County. At around 10:15 a.m., the suspect drove down a boat ramp near Saltillo into the Tennessee River.

When several police officers entered the water to arrest the perpetrator, he again displayed the weapon and defied their orders. He then went under water and did not resurface until his body was recovered hours later. The body was taken to Nashville for an autopsy.

No police officers were injured.

TBI agents are working to independently determine the sequence of events that led to the shooting. This includes gathering evidence and conducting interviews. Throughout the process, the investigative findings are submitted to the Attorney General for further review and consideration. The TBI acts solely as a fact-finder in its cases and does not determine whether an officer's actions were justified in such cases. That decision rests with the Attorney General requesting the involvement of the TBI.

The TBI does not identify the officers involved in these incidents, but refers such questions to the appropriate department, which will answer them at its discretion.