At the request of 12th Judicial District Attorney General Courtney Lynch, TBI special agents continue to investigate the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Bledsoe County Friday afternoon.
Preliminary information indicates the incident occurred around 4 p.m. CST. A Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Department Correctional Officer was at a Pikeville hospital in Bledsoe County, with an inmate who had been transported there from the Sequatchie County Jail for medical reasons. Early reports from the scene indicate that after being treated, the inmate attempted to flee from the hospital. The correctional officer discharged a taser with no effect, and then discharged a service weapon, striking the inmate. He was taken back into custody, and transferred to a Chattanooga hospital for treatment. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
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 her 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.
Any available updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBINewsroom.com.
TBINewsroom.com 