At the request of 21st Judicial District Attorney General Stacey Edmonson, TBI special agents are investigating the circumstances leading to a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Monday night involving officers with the Franklin Police Department.

Preliminary information indicates that shortly after 6 p.m., officers responded to a residence on Artessa Circle in Franklin, after receiving a call for a welfare check on a suicidal individual. When officers arrived, they spoke with the man, Steven Lawrence Tropia, through the door and attempted to get him out of the apartment. As they continued to speak with him, he came out armed with a handgun, resulting in one officer using deadly force. Officers immediately rendered aid to Tropia. He was transported to a Nashville hospital, where he later died.  No officers were injured during the incident.

TBI agents continue to work to independently to 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 her 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.