SWEETWATER, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is examining the circumstances surrounding an officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday afternoon in Sweetwater.
According to the TBI, the investigation was initiated at the request of 10th Judicial District Attorney General Stephen Hatchett.
Preliminary information indicates that deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded around 3:15 p.m. to a disturbance in the 200 block of Glenlock Road involving a man who was reportedly armed and making threats.
When deputies arrived, authorities say they encountered the man, who was armed with a rifle. Investigators said the man refused repeated commands to drop the weapon.
The Madisonville Police Department’s Special Response Team was called to assist and attempted to negotiate with the man. The TBI said that for reasons still under investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in a Madisonville police officer firing at the suspect.
The man was struck by gunfire and transported to a local hospital for treatment. His condition has not been released.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
TBI special agents are now working to independently determine the sequence of events that led to the shooting. Investigators are collecting evidence, conducting interviews, and reviewing the facts of the case.
Once completed, the TBI’s findings will be provided to District Attorney General Stephen Hatchett for review. The agency emphasized that its role is limited to determining the facts and that it does not decide whether an officer’s actions were justified. Any determination regarding potential criminal charges or the justification of force rests with the district attorney.
The TBI also noted that it does not release the identities of officers involved in these types of incidents, referring those inquiries to the involved law enforcement agency.
The investigation remains ongoing.
