UPDATED 3/7/21 at 4:07 CT: The individual who was shot has been identified at Joe William Lynch (DOB 10/04/1990).
At the request of 5th District Attorney General Mike Flynn, TBI Special Agents are investigating the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday in Blount County.
Just before noon, deputies with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle in the 2000 block of Topside Road in Louisville. The vehicle was occupied by four people. Preliminary information indicates that as deputies approached the SUV, the driver accelerated in the direction of deputies. Two deputies fired shots at the vehicle, striking one of the occupants. The vehicle left the scene and continued to flee until reaching a location near Fox Chase Way. The individual who was shot was located a short time later and transported to a local hospital for treatment. No officers were injured during the incident.
At this time, the investigation remains active and ongoing, as TBI Agents continue to gather any and all relevant evidence, interviews, and information. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for his further review and consideration.
The TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and, instead, refer questions of that nature to their respective department to answer as it sees fit.
As a reminder, 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 solely with the District Attorney General requesting TBI’s involvement.
Any updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBINewsroom.com.
TBINewsroom.com 