KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — Dispatch audio has been publicly released detailing the intense moments surrounding a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place in Knox County.
The newly available audio captures a Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputy urgently warning that a suspect was armed with a “large knife” before yelling “shots fired” over the radio.
The incident unfolded during the early morning hours of April 14, when deputies initiated a traffic stop on a motorcycle operating without headlights or a license plate along Clinton Highway near Interstate 275 North. Authorities report that the driver, identified as 33-year-old Shane L. Bryant, fled on foot and pulled a knife, prompting a deputy to open fire. Bryant later died from his injuries at a local hospital.
District Attorney Clears Deputy
The release of the emergency radio traffic comes closely on the heels of a formal decision by Sixth Judicial District Attorney General Charme Allen, who cleared the deputy of any criminal wrongdoing. Following an independent review of the case file compiled by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Allen ruled that the deputy acted strictly in self-defense.
In an official letter addressed to the TBI, Allen stated:
“Upon review, I conclude that the method, manner and amount of force utilized in this incident amounted to a necessary response to thwart the threat involved. Therefore, I have determined that the shooting was constitutionally sound under the principles outlined by the United States Supreme Court and Tennessee state law.”
With the District Attorney’s review completed and the shooting determined to be legally justified, the deputy involved will not face any criminal charges.
