At the request of 5^th District Attorney General Mike Flynn, TBI agents are investigating the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon in Blount County.

Just before 1:30 p.m., the Blount County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a suspicious person behind a home on Wildwood Road in Maryville. Upon arrival, a deputy spotted a man matching the description provided in the 2900 block of Wildwood Road. The individual was armed with a knife. At some point during the encounter, and for reasons still under investigation, the deputy fired shots, striking the man. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The deputy was not injured.

TBI agents continue to work 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 his 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.