At the request of 14th District Attorney Craig Northcott, TBI special agents are independently investigating the circumstances that led to an officer-involved shooting by deputies with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office in the early morning hours Tuesday.

Shortly before 1 a.m., deputies responded to a 911 call from an individual threatening suicide. Deputies encountered the man in a vehicle on the Wattendorf Highway Bridge over I-24. The man exited his vehicle with a pistol, later determined to be a paintball training pistol, and fired, striking one deputy. Deputies returned fire, striking the man. That individual is currently being treated in a Nashville hospital. The deputy received a minor injury from the incident.

The investigation remains active and ongoing, as TBI Agents continue to gather any and all relevant evidence, interviews, and information.  Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for his further review and consideration.

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.

As a reminder, 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.

Any updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBINewsroom.com.