Motive unknown for Sunday shooting at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant; suspect could be male

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

A Tennessee Valley Authority spokesman declined to speculate on a motive for a Sunday morning shooting at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant in Rhea County, but he said the suspect could be a male wearing a dark-colored sweatshirt with a hood.

Other than that, officials have little information on the suspect, who appears to have fled in a small boat, TVA spokesman Jim Hopson said Monday.

“It was difficult to provide any kind of description,” he said.

The unidentified man was spotted by a nuclear security officer at about 2 a.m. Sunday. The guard was on a routine patrol in a pickup truck on the perimeter of the 1,700-acre plant. As the officer came around a curve, the truck’s headlights illuminated a person on the shore of the Tennessee River, on the eastern side of the plant and near its southern boundary. [Read more...]

Clinton pair indicted for attempted second-degree murder in New River shooting

James Matthew Boyd

James Matthew Boyd

Rene Edith Boyd

Rene Edith Boyd

CLINTON—A Clinton man and woman have been indicted on attempted second-degree murder charges for the alleged April 2012 shooting of a man on a gas pipeline service road off New River Highway in Briceville.

James Matthew Boyd, 31, of Dutch Valley Road, and Rene Edith Boyd, 29, of Center Valley Road, were indicted April 2 and arrested Monday. They are charged in the April 14, 2012, shooting of Christopher Paul Pruett, 34, of Batley Loop Road.

When deputies arrived at the shooting scene last year, they found a white Ford Explorer that had crashed into a ditch and a man lying on his back behind the sports utility vehicle, an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department incident report said. Deputies also spotted another man as well as a woman sitting on the ground on either side of the vehicle. [Read more...]

Man has possible life-threatening injury after Friday shooting

A 28-year-old man was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with a potentially life-threatening wound after a Friday morning shooting on Johnson Gap Road in Anderson County, authorities said.

The condition of Jeffery Allen Lowe was not available, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said in a brief statement Friday afternoon.

The shooting occurred at about 10:42 a.m. Friday at 154 Johnson Gap Road, and Lowe was flown to the UT hospital by a Lifestar helicopter, Lucas said.

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Man pleads guilty in woman’s death

Information from WYSH Radio

A man pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Knoxville to killing a former Anderson County Jail employee during an armed robbery outside a Knoxville credit union in December 2010.

Brandon Johnson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and other charges and was sentenced to 45 years in prison with no early release in the shooting death of 46-year-old Davida Nicholson.

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Father shoots son after Sunday dispute in Roane County

Note: This story was last updated at 5:59 p.m.

A Roane County man apparently acted in self-defense when he fatally shot his son once after a dispute on Sunday afternoon at a home on Old Harriman Highway, north of Oak Ridge and west of Oliver Springs, authorities said.

Michael Brown, 36, was dead when deputies arrived at about 4:16 p.m. Sunday, the Roane County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement posted on its website.

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Sheriff releases name of deputy involved in fatal shooting

The officer involved in a fatal shooting in Marlow on Saturday was Deputy Steven Williams, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said Thursday morning.

Authorities had earlier declined to name the officer.

White said Williams has been a reserve deputy with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department since July 2008 and a senior patrol officer as of June 2012.

“He is one of only six reserve deputies out of 38 that have received advanced training and have the necessary qualifications to be used on patrol,” White said.

On Sunday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the man who died as Randall Kyle Wilcox, 30, of Clinton.

Authorities said Wilcox was shot after he tried to take Williams’ weapon. Williams had chased Wilcox on foot after a traffic stop at about 10:22 a.m. Saturday on Pine Ridge Road in Marlow.

“The driver pulled into a driveway, jumped from the car, and fled on foot,” White said. “Deputy Williams gave chase and a short distance later was confronted by the suspect, where a struggle ensued with the suspect trying to take his duty weapon. The suspect was shot and killed.”

After the shooting, Williams was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, where he was treated and released, White said, although he didn’t identify the type of injuries.

White said Williams has received his initial “critical incident stress debriefing,” and there will be more debriefings for him and other law enforcement officers.

“Since a shooting is one of the most traumatic events an officer will ever experience, we want to ensure Deputy Williams is ready to return to his duties,” White said.

He said the department’s incident report is not complete. “We will notify when it is available for release,” White said.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been asked to investigate, which is standard when an officer is involved in a shooting.

Authorities haven’t said why Williams stopped Wilcox, but TBI Public Information Officer Kristin Helm has said it was for a non-moving violation. Wilcox had a lengthy record that includes 20 arrests dating back to 2000, including for carjacking and assault charges, according to county records and the Sheriff’s Department.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said Wilcox was wanted on three outstanding arrest warrants, two for contempt of court and one for failure to appear.

Note: This story was updated at 10:59 a.m. Oct. 18.

Authorities identify man killed in Marlow shooting Saturday

Randall Kyle Wilcox

Randall Kyle Wilcox

Note: This story was last updated at 11:16 a.m. Oct. 15.

State authorities have identified the person shot and killed during a struggle with a deputy in Marlow on Saturday as Randall Kyle Wilcox, 30, of Clinton.

However, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is providing no new details about the shooting, including the type of weapon involved and the nature of the injuries to an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputy.

“I am unable to provide any more details at this stage of the investigation,” said Kristin Helm, TBI public information officer.

Wilcox was shot by the Anderson County deputy near 602 Pine Ridge Road on Saturday morning after he reportedly fled on foot from a traffic stop and then tried to take the deputy’s weapon during a confrontation, authorities said Saturday.

Anderson County Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said the Sheriff’s Department is not naming the deputy. He was injured and taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, where he was treated and released.

The injuries were not believed to be serious, Helm said.

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Suspect shot, killed during struggle over deputy’s weapon in Marlow

An unidentified person was shot and killed by an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputy in Marlow on Saturday morning after the suspect fled on foot from a traffic stop and then tried to take the deputy’s weapon during a struggle on Pine Ridge Road, authorities said.

Authorities aren’t releasing the name of the suspect or the deputy, who was injured and taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, where he was treated and released.

The deputy had stopped the suspect’s car at about 10:22 a.m. Saturday, Anderson County Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said in a statement.

“The driver pulled into a driveway, jumped from the car, and fled on foot,” Lucas said. “The deputy gave chase and a short distance later was confronted by the suspect, where a struggle ensued with the suspect trying to take the deputy’s duty weapon. The suspect was shot and killed.”

Lucas said the deputy and “all other personnel involved in the incident will receive critical incident debriefings over the next few days.”

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Anderson couple dead after husband apparently shoots wife, self

An Anderson County couple found dead on Cove Lane Monday afternoon apparently died when a husband shot his wife and then himself, authorities said.

A family member reported the 3 p.m. shooting north of Oliver Springs.

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Anderson DA: Deputies acted appropriately in February shooting

The Anderson County District Attorney’s Office has completed its investigation into the officer-involved shooting that left two Indiana residents dead in February, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

The investigation determined that Anderson County deputies Jonathan Bryant and J.D. Powell acted appropriately in the Feb. 29 incident, which began with a gas theft in Lake City, WYSH said.

Killed in the exchange of gunfire at the intersection of Old Emory Road and Blockhouse Valley Road were Shanna Lee Richardson and Michael Baker of Indiana.

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Campbell County man shot in Lake City

Note: This story was last updated at 11:25 a.m. Sept. 1.

A Campbell County man was shot in north Lake City Thursday afternoon, Police Chief Jim Shetterly said.

Scottie Tackett, 29, was shot once at the intersection of U.S. Highway 441 and Railroad Avenue. He sought medical attention and was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center by Lifestar helicopter, Shetterly said.

No information was available on his condition, UT Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Wyatt said Friday.

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