At the request of 4th District Attorney General James Dunn, TBI Special Agents are investigating the circumstances that led to an officer-involved shooting that occurred early Monday morning in Cocke County.
TBI Agents along with officers from the Newport Police Department and the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office were at a residence located in the 2000 block of Highway 160 in Newport to serve an arrest warrant on William David Williamson (DOB 4/7/57). Williamson was wanted on fourteen counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and was known to have weapons. Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 5:00 a.m., deputies with the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Newport Police Department made entry into the home and located Williamson. The subject produced a weapon which resulted in one Cocke County deputy and one Newport officer firing shots, striking him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured during the incident.
TBI Special Agents, assisted by a team of Forensic Scientists, will gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence as part of this ongoing investigation. As in any case, our investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General throughout the process for his consideration and review.
As is our policy, the TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead refers questions of that nature to their respective department.
Any updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBINewsroom.com.
TBINewsroom.com 