A total of 10 police shootings have occurred over the past year in Northeast Tennessee, starting June 13, 2024.
A breakdown of those shootings follows:
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Jan. 12, 2025 - An early morning encounter in ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ resulted in a police shooting. Police went to a domestic violence call on Walnut Street, later officers encountered the man near West Walnut and South Roan Street where he allegedly pointed a firearm at them, prompting at least one officer to open fire.
The suspect fled, but was found again behind a convenience store near South Roan and Pine Street, where he reportedly pointed the weapon at officers a second time. At least one officer fired again, striking and injuring the suspect.
No officers were injured.
July 17, 2024 - A man was shot by a ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ police officer following a traffic stop that escalated around 8:30 p.m. when officers and Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers attempted to stop a Jeep driven by a man with an active arrest warrant.
The driver refused to stop and led authorities to the intersection of Cherokee Road and Lone Oak Road, where troopers tried to block the vehicle. As a ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ officer approached, the report said the situation escalated and the officer fired, striking the driver.
He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. A female passenger sustained minor injuries and was also treated.
No officers were injured.
June 22, 2024 - ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ police officers went to a domestic assault call on West Chestnut Street. According to preliminary reports, a man exited the residence with a shotgun and fired during an altercation with officers.
Police returned fire, striking the man. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. No officers were injured.
Kingsport, Sullivan County
June 8, 2025 -- Preliminary information indicates the shooting happened at approximately 10:19 p.m. on Highway 394 near Highway 11 West where a state trooper responded to a crash. When the trooper encountered the driver involved in the crash, the trooper, believing the subject was inebriated, attempted to arrest him. the subject fled, and the situation escalated. The subject produced a gun, and the trooper fired at the subject killing Austin Walters, 21. No law enforcement officers were hurt.
May 6, 2025 – Sullivan County deputies went to a report of an intoxicated man with a handgun threatening self-harm at Crockett Ridge Golf Course in Kingsport. Negotiation efforts failed, and the situation escalated into a shootout. The man, 27-year-old Cody Alexander Burke, was declared dead at the scene. No officers were injured. The TBI is investigating.
April 29, 2025 – While serving a search warrant on Barnett Drive, Sullivan County SWAT was fired upon by someone inside the home. A deputy returned fire, but no injuries were reported. After a brief standoff, the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody. The TBI continues to investigate.
June 13, 2024 – During a welfare check on Pine Hill Road in Bluff City, Sullivan County deputies encountered 54-year-old William Kevin Guinn armed with a gun. A deputy fired, killing Guinn at the scene. No deputies were injured. A Sullivan County grand jury later ruled that the shooting was justified and that the deputy followed proper protocol.
JOHNSON COUNTY
April 22, 2025 - At around 12:30 p.m., deputies with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office spotted a vehicle traveling along Highway 421 just outside of Mountain City that was the subject of a BOLO (Be On The Lookout) out of Watauga County, NC.
Preliminary information indicated that as deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fired shots, striking a deputy. Deputies returned fire, striking and injuring the man. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The deputy was also transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
January 16, 2025 - Just before 10:30 p.m., deputies from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a residence in the 300 block of Cross Mountain Road in Mountain City to execute a search warrant in connection to an investigation involving Alexander James Russom, 39.
Preliminary information indicated that when deputies encountered Russom, he fired shots. Both Johnson County and Carter County deputies returned fire, striking Russom. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. A Johnson County K9 was also shot during the incident and was transported to a veterinary emergency clinic for treatment. No other deputies were injured.
Unicoi County
Dec. 21, 2024 - TBI investigated a police shooting in Erwin that happened in December.
Preliminary information indicated the shooting happened at approximately 2:30 at a home in the 600 block of Maple Avenue, where officers responded to a report of a barking dog. When officers approached the front door and knocked, they reportedly heard a shotgun rack prior to the door opening. The officers reportedly gave commands for the individual to put the gun down, but, for reasons under investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in at least two officers firing upon the subject, who later died at a ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ hospital. No law enforcement officers were hurt in the incident.
