• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds

Rocky Top man dies after shooting described as accidental

Posted at 11:04 am December 31, 2014
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Anderson County Sheriff Patch

A Rocky Top man died in what was reported to be an accidental shooting on Dutch Valley Road in Anderson County on Tuesday night, authorities said.

Christopher Scott Cody Bunch, 23, was unresponsive and lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to the chest when Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a home on Dutch Valley Road at about 9:57 p.m. Tuesday, an incident report said. A neighbor who is certified in first aid and had been called over was sitting next to Bunch holding a towel on the wound, the report said.

Paramedics responded and tried to save Bunch, but he was pronounced dead just after 10 p.m., the report said.

Joseph Eric McClane, of Clinton, told Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Joshua A. Humphrey that he accidentally shot Bunch, his friend, the report said.

Witnesses said a group of people had been standing in a room next to the kitchen, talking about the .45-caliber handgun, and McClane was holding it when it “just went off.” McClane said he and Bunch had been discussing single-action versus double-action guns, and he had his thumb on the hammer and finger on the trigger, “trying to de-cock the hammer.”

“Joseph then stated that somehow the hammer slipped, and the gun went off,” Humphrey said.

“He stated that Christopher then looked at him and stated ‘(I) have been shot,'” Humphrey said. “Joseph stated, ‘I thought it hit the wall.’ Joseph then said that Christopher grabbed his chest, and Joseph said, ‘I shot him.'”

An Anderson County Sheriff’s Department detective responded at about 10:50 p.m., and the case has been referred to the Criminal Investigations Division.

Dutch Valley Road is north of Oak Ridge between Oliver Springs and Briceville.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Filed Under: Anderson County, Police and Fire, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Christopher Scott Cody Bunch, Dutch Valley Road, Joseph Eric McClane, Joshua A. Humphrey, shooting

Comments

  1. Jonah Bogeart says

    December 31, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    We miss you and love you Cody. Rest in peace brother.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Police and Fire News

Two fires reported early Friday

Oak Ridge Fire Department firefighters responded to two structure fires early Friday. No one was injured in either fire. The first fire was reported at 12:42 a.m. Friday at 109 Houston Avenue. When they arrived, Oak … [Read More...]

AC man charged with attempted murder after alleged shooting

A 24-year-old Anderson County man was charged with attempted murder Friday after an alleged shooting following an argument in Clinton on Wednesday sent another man to a hospital with a gunshot wound on the right side of … [Read More...]

Blount County man dies in single-vehicle crash in Oak Ridge

A Blount County man died Thursday night in a single-vehicle crash in Oak Ridge. William F. Alldis, 34, of Louisville, Tennessee, was pronounced dead at the crash site, the City of Oak Ridge said in a news … [Read More...]

Oak Ridge announces Independence Day concert, fireworks

The City of Oak Ridge is sponsoring its annual fireworks show to celebrate Independence Day. The display will be held in Alvin K. Bissell Park on July 4, and it is scheduled to begin at dark, around 9:45 p.m. The Oak … [Read More...]

ORFD to unveil Safe Haven Baby Box

The Oak Ridge Fire Department will unveil a new Safe Haven Baby Box on Wednesday, June 12. It will be a place where mothers can safely and anonymously drop off their newborn babies during a crisis, a media advisory … [Read More...]

More Police and Fire

Recent Posts

  • Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival Announces 2025 Storytellers
  • Laser-Engraved Bricks Will Line Walkway of New Chamber Headquarters
  • Democratic Women’s Club to Discuss Climate Change, Energy and Policy
  • Estate Jewelry Show at Karen’s Jewelers Features Celebrity Jewelry
  • Keri Cagle named new ORAU senior vice president and ORISE director
  • ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal+ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal More than $1 million raised in past 10 years benefits United Way and Community Shares Oak Ridge, Tenn. —ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares nonprofit organizations. ORAU has raised more than $1 million over the past 10 years through this campaign. A total of $126,839 was pledged during the 2024 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign. Employees donate via payroll deduction and could earmark their donation for United Way, Community Shares or both. “ORAU has remained a strong pillar in the community for more than 75 years, and we encourage our employees to consider participating in our annual giving campaign each year to help our less fortunate neighbors in need,” said ORAU President and CEO Andy Page. “Each one of our employees has the power to positively impact the lives of those who need help in the communities where we do business across the country and demonstrate the ORAU way – taking care of each other.” ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, provides science, health and workforce solutions that address national priorities and serve the public interest. Through our specialized teams of experts and access to a consortium of more than 150 major Ph.D.-granting institutions, ORAU works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to provide innovative scientific and technical solutions and help advance their missions. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakRidgeAssociatedUniversities Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/orau Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orau ###
  • Children’s Museum Gala Celebrates the Rainforest
  • Jim Sears joins ORAU as senior vice president
  • Oak Ridge Housing Authority Receives Funding Assistance of up to $51.8 Million For Renovating Public Housing and Building New Workforce Housing
  • Two fires reported early Friday

Search Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2025 Oak Ridge Today