At the request of 11th Judicial District Attorney General Coty Wamp, TBI special agents are investigating the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Chattanooga Friday morning.

Preliminary information indicates that the incident happened just after 10:30 a.m.  when officers with the Chattanooga Police Department responded to a domestic assault call. One of the subjects involved, Douglas Bearden (DOB 05/31/1971), had left the scene. Officers located Bearden and attempted to make contact with him at the 3200 block of Kellys Ferry Road. For reasons still under investigation, Bearden and two officers fired their weapons. Bearden sustained a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased on scene. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. No law enforcement officers were injured in this 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.