Knoxville, TN (WOKI) – Knoxville Police have released body-camera and patrol vehicle video footage from the August 5, 2026, in-custody death of 49-year-old Patrick Allen following an encounter at a convenience store on Sutherland Avenue.
According to KPD, officers were dispatched to the BreadBox convenience store at approximately 2:30 p.m. after an employee reported a trespassing complaint. Store personnel told officers that Allen had previously been banned from the business and was refusing to leave the property.
Officer Lucas Cunningham was the first officer to arrive and spoke briefly with both the employee and Allen. Officer Riley Lackey arrived shortly afterward. After determining that Allen had been formally trespassed from the store, officers attempted to place him under arrest.
Police say Allen resisted officers’ efforts to take him into custody, leading to a physical struggle. Additional officers responded to assist, and Allen was eventually taken into custody.
KPD said Allen sustained minor visible injuries during the struggle. Medical personnel were requested to the scene at approximately 2:46 p.m. While awaiting their arrival, Allen was placed in the back seat of a patrol vehicle.
According to the department, Allen’s condition began to deteriorate shortly after American Medical Response personnel arrived and evaluated him. Allen was moved into an ambulance, where officers and medical personnel initiated CPR. He was transported to UT Medical Center and was pronounced dead a short time later.
The video released by KPD includes footage from multiple responding officers’ body cameras as well as in-car camera footage from Officer Lackey’s cruiser. The department said the video shifts between various perspectives to provide what it described as a complete view of the encounter.
Officials warned that the footage contains images and language that some viewers may find disturbing and advised viewer discretion.
The incident remains under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which handles investigations involving deaths in police custody under standard protocol. KPD’s Office of Professional Standards is also conducting an internal administrative review. Both investigations remain active.
Three officers were placed on routine administrative leave following the incident.
KPD said the release of the video is intended to provide the community with timely information about the circumstances surrounding the incident. The department stated it seeks to release critical incident video as quickly as possible while coordinating with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The video released by KPD can be viewed on the department’s official YouTube channel. Here is the link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=T0CqXRfJpz4&feature=youtu.be
