NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Wednesday that Tennessee junior defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. was named one of 20 semifinalists for its 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year award, the fourth-oldest college football award in the nation.
The talented edge rusher is one of 20 semifinalists for the presitigious accolade, including one of six from the Southeastern Conference and one of seven defensive players. He becomes the third Vol in the Josh Heupel era to be named a Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist, as Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt were both honored during the 2022 campaign. Hooker was later tabbed a finalist for the award.
Considered a top prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft, Pearce has been a force for Tennessee’s dominant defensive unit. The junior from Charlotte, North Carolina, leads the Vols with 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks so far in 2024, while his 43 total QB pressures according to PFF rank first in the SEC and third among edge rushers nationally.
Pearce has been especially productive in SEC play this fall, registering at least a half-TFL or sack in each of his last six games played. He was tabbed SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after the Oct. 12 win over Florida, totaling seven tackles, one TFL and a half-sack in addition to a pivotal forced fumble and recovery at the goal line in the overtime victory.
He has now reeled in recognition from three national award committees in the past week, also being tabbed a 2024 semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and the Lombardi Award.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year will be voted on by the 134 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors later this month. Three finalists will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and the 58th recipient of the Walter Camp Player of Year award will be announced on the ESPN College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 12.
2024 Walter Camp Player of Year Semifinalists Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State Bryson Daily, QB, Army West Point Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon Travis Hunter, WR/DB, Colorado Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama Walter Nolan, DT, Ole Miss James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Edge, Virginia Tech Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State Cam Ward, QB, Miami Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
A water tower in Calera, Alabama has many residents raising their eyebrows over its color and design.
The City shared a photo of a new water tower that is brightly painted orange and white in a checkerboard design that looks similar to the end zones found on Shields-Watkins Field inside Neyland Stadium.
City officials said it‘s not an elaborate prank instead, the design is federally-mandated by the FAA because of its proximity to an airport.
(City of Calera Facebook post) Attention, citizens! We’ve been flooded with calls about the new water tower on County Road 12 near Savannah Pointe. Yes, we know that bright, gaudy orange and white checkered pattern might scream “Tennessee Volunteers’ end zone”—but rest assured, this is not some elaborate prank by city employees, and it hasn’t been “vol-untarily” vandalized.
Believe it or not, this eye-catching design is federally mandated by the FAA because of the tower’s proximity to the Shelby County Airport. Safety first, fashion second! So while it may look like we’re making a bold statement in orange, we’re just following the rules—no team loyalty implied!
A Maryville man, charged with Sexual exploitation of a minor, trafficking and other charges, is arrested in Georgia
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says 51-year-old Shane Rewis was indicted earlier this month on multiple charges including two counts of sexual abuse of a child, Trafficking for a commercial sex act and various other charges.
An investigation began in May after two female juveniles reported that he contacted them with inappropriate comments and photos.
He is being held in a Georgia Jail pending extradition to Tennessee on his charges.
Eight people are arrested on various drug charges after a search warrant is executed at a Sweetwater home.
The Sweetwater Police Department says the home on Monroe Street was a “known hub for illegal drug activity, including overdoses, assaults and the sale of narcotics” in addition to where stolen property was found during Saturday’s search.
After an extensive investigation involving a search warrant, SPD said the following eight people were arrested on the scene on various drug-related charges:
Jeremy Copenhaver
Jonathan Moore
Loretta See
Jason McIntosh
Sarah Lynn
David Neloms
Rebecca Burrell
Sarah Sawyer
Officials also say warrants have been issued for a ninth person.
SPD urging residents not to hesitate calling authorities if they see anything suspicious or have concerns about criminal activity.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With a pair of November victories under their belt, the No. 6/4 Tennessee Volunteers prepare for their next challenge with a trip to Athens, Georgia, this weekend to face the No. 11/10 Georgia Bulldogs. Saturday’s kickoff between the hedges of Sanford Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the matchup will be televised nationally on ABC.
Tennessee has formed an identity of unrelenting toughness on both sides of the ball this season, signaled by the SEC’s top rushing offense (235.1 yards per game) and second-ranked scoring defense (12.6 points allowed per game). Offensively, running back Dylan Sampson has sparked the Vols with a record-setting campaign — his 20 rushing touchdowns are the most in a single season in program history, while his 1,129 rushing yards rank first in the SEC and seventh nationally.
In comments to local media on Tuesday, running backs coach De’Rail Sims discussed Sampson’s leadership and motivational qualities impacting the Vols’ success at large.
“I think it’s huge,” Sims explained. “Everybody sits here and, number one, they look at (Sampson) as the leader. Not only as an offense, but as a team leader, as well. When he gets hot, the whole team rises up. When he makes a big run, the whole entire sideline becomes energized. He’s a spark plug for the whole entire unit for us on offense and I think sometimes you need that little uplifting.”
Recent weeks have seen the emergence of true freshman running back Peyton Lewis, who handled a season-high 14 carries for 44 yards in the Homecoming win over Mississippi State. Sims spoke to the rookie’s preparation and practice habits and how that has been translated into production on Saturdays.
“(Peyton has) done a really good job in his preparation, in terms of going out and attacking practice,” Sims said. “We’ve got competition every day in practice, and he’s done a really good job of maximizing the reps that he’s gotten in practice. In the same situation, when he gets in a game, he’s maximizing his opportunities and the confidence is growing. The more he gets out there, you can see it as he’s playing right now.”
Heading into a primetime matchup in the Southeastern Conference, Tennessee will continue to lean on the strength of its defense. The unit has been historically dominant so far in 2024, limiting each of its nine opponents to less than 20 points while ranking top-5 nationally in total defense (271.6) and scoring defense (12.6).
Fourth-year coordinator Tim Banks described an unwavering commitment to the Tennessee culture from his players, giving their all for each other when they suit up between the white lines.
“I think the kids just get it,” Banks said. “They play hard, they have bought into the culture. We talk about being toughb playing for each other and with great respect for the game. I just think we’ve got a great group, but I’ve thought that since I’ve been here. A lot of these guys are the same guys we’ve had for four years at this point with a couple of new faces. We’ve got good kids, good kids that want to be coached and want to be great. We’re just excited that they understand it’s a one-game season. I’m proud of that, and I just love the way they work.”
Full comments from Sims and Banks can be viewed below, along with select quotes from Sampson and sophomore defensive back Jermod McCoy.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Nov. 12, 2024
On Peyton Lewis’ performance in the last few games… “He’s done a really good job in his preparation, in terms of going out and attacking practice. We’ve got competition every day in practice and he’s done a really good job of maximizing the reps that he’s gotten in practice. In the same situation, when he gets in a game, he’s maximizing his opportunities and the confidence is growing. The more he gets out there, you can see it as he’s playing right now.”
On how hard it is to play more than two backs when you have a back as mentally and physically tough as Dylan Sampson… “Been very impressed with him, number one. The stamina that he has been able to produce, especially in this stretch that we’ve been going on after the bye week. The mental part of it, you see that in the classroom. The physical part of it, that’s why he attacked the weight room the way that he did this summer building his body up. And you see the durability now, in terms of being out there and taking multiple carries in a series and in a game. The thing about it is, once he gets hot, it’s kind of hard to pull him off. At the same time, understanding that he has to take some series off to keep his legs fresh so we aren’t sitting up here wearing him out.”
On how he is coaching Dylan Sampson through his fumble issues… “The number one deal is understanding when you’ve drained it enough. You know, a lot of times, you go back through and you look at the tape, a lot of those he’s fighting for those extra yards. He’s still trying to churn and guys are sitting there clubbing it trying to pull the ball out. So, understanding when you drain it out enough, it’s time to go down so that they can’t get those shots on the ball. Then it comes down to our ball mechanics too, like we practice every day. Just make sure when we’re in the pile, armbar the football, do a good job having your pads over it and continue to keep it protected.”
On what he has said to Peyton Lewis about going on the road this week… “Yeah, you know the number one deal is the focus portion of it. Doing your job, not letting the crowd affect you. Understand that I have to be locked in on what my assignment is on this play. Understanding what the physicality, especially in this league, is going to be like on the road in terms of how I have to go in and attack, how I have to go in there and fit. Those are things he’s done a good job of up to this point. Just understanding, don’t let that become bigger than what it is. Just concentrate on doing your job and then you’ll be okay.”
On how important it is to have such a motivational player like Dylan Sampson… “I think it’s huge. Everybody sits here and, number one, they look at Samp (Dylan Sampson) as the leader. Not only as an offense, but as a team leader, as well. When he gets hot, the whole team rises up. When he makes a big run, the whole entire sideline becomes energized. He’s a spark plug for the whole entire unit for us on offense and I think sometimes you need that little uplifting. Not just him on the field, in terms of playing, but also on the sideline, too. Being able to go up to teammates when things are in a little rut right now and sometimes teammates are trying to make a play and their pushing a lot, he’s always there to calm them down. So, I think holistically he does a really good job of being that for the team.”
On where Cameron Seldon is in his development… “I think with him, he’s growing every day. That’s the number one deal. He had his setbacks early in the season, but I think with him his development is good. You see him getting comfortable again and you see him getting into games right now. He’s getting comfortable, he’s maximizing his reps that he’s getting right now. We are going to need everybody in that room as the season continues to progress and kind of rolls along. The number one deal is continuing to keep attacking it one day at a time and seeing how your growth progresses throughout the games.”
On how using crowd noise in practice helps in preparation this week… “I think number one, it’s the focus portion of it. Making sure that you’re being able to get locked in, attention to detail, making sure I’m focusing on doing my job. You can’t make it bigger than what it is. It’s the same situation where we’re playing at home, our homefield advantage in terms of our crowd is really good, so when you go on the road, you kind of expect that same situation. We sit up here (and) we make sure we’re doing a really good job from a preparation standpoint, but also when it gets into the hay of it, make sure I’m locked in on doing my job and then I can focus on one play at a time.”
On if the fumble issues have been caused by Dylan Sampson’s habit of fighting for more yards… “I do. I think it’s a habit portion now. We always talk about as a program going pad plus two, and I think he’s doing a really good job of finishing off his runs. So, a lot of times when that’s already engrained in you, it’s kind of hard to understand in this certain situation I’ve drained it out enough, let me go ahead and get down so that I don’t put the ball in jeopardy.”
On the rush defense giving up more yards over the past two games… “Well, I’m going to be totally honest with you, I have no idea what our rush defense looks like (from a stats perspective), and that’s the honest-to-God truth. Every game is a new game, a different game and we do what we need to do to try to win the game. I think Kentucky was a good running team and they did a tremendous job. Obviously, Mississippi State did a good job running the ball. We don’t want guys running the ball. We don’t want guys throwing the ball, but the objective is to win the game. We are always going to do what we need to do to try to win and we’ve been very fortunate in the last couple weeks.”
On the defensive run fits… “Every rep is a different rep. I don’t think collectively we’ve had a bunch of miss fits or things of that nature. Were we perfect? Absolutely not. Some things we want to make sure we continue to clean up and get better (at) week in and week out. I think schematically, being able to take some pressure off the back end. Playing with some lighter boxes, obviously, they are going to lead to some bigger run plays. We try to pick our poison. When I got here, I told you we were going to stop the run at all costs, and we still want to do that. We also need to play to our strengths.”
On if the increase in run production from opponents has more to do with the defensive line or other levels of the defense… “This is the SEC, there are some really good programs here and it’s always going to be a challenge to stop the run week in and week out. Obviously, there are things we want to continue to do better and continue to grow. We are excited about our young linebackers, from Jeremiah Telander to Arion Carter. I think those guys have done a remarkable job helping us win. Every week, we are trying to get better to stop the run. We would love Keenan Pili to still be with us, but at this point, we have who we have, and we are proud of those guys and the way they are working right now.”
On how different this team is from the 2022 team that played in Athens… “We think we are a more experienced team. We think we are talented. Athens is obviously a tough place to play just like all the SEC schools. We know we are going to have our work cut out. We know are going to have to come down there and give it our best shot to be able to come out with a victory. Like I said earlier, the guys are excited about it. They love playing football and having a chance to play Georgia, it’s a bonus. We just enjoy playing, and obviously getting a chance to go on the road, we know what we have to do to be successful is going to be to play hard, play tough and be physical.”
On generating numerous turnovers over the last stretch of games… “I think it’s a credit to the kids and how hard they’re playing, how physical they’re playing. If we could bottle it up, we would do it every year, every time we get a chance. I think it’s just because the guys are playing with such confidence and how hard they are playing is leading to some really good takeaways.”
On James Pearce Jr.’s success during SEC play… “James Pearce Jr. has been playing hard and playing well all year. He’s played on the edges. I think he’s gotten a lot of pressures. Obviously, I guess he’s getting some sacks. I think it’s just him continuing to stay the course and continuing to work hard, not worrying about the stats. It’s just been fortune these last couple of games that he’s been able to get some sacks.”
On what he needs to do to ensure Boo Carter builds off a breakout game last week… “It’s a one-game season, every rep we talk about being 1-0. No tackles, no plays were made last season that carry over to the next game. That’s the message to him, that’s the message to our defense. We’ve got to snap and clear. We flush the victory and move on. I’m proud of Boo and how hard he’s playing. He’s getting better week in and week out. I can say that about a lot of our guys, but Boo gets it, he understands he has to continue to put it on tape every week. So far, he’s been up to that challenge.”
On what Ole Miss did so well to have success against Georgia… “I think Ole Miss played extremely hard, they made their plays that they needed to make. Ole Miss is a good team, I would assume by looking at their defense. So, I think it’s challenging to play on the road anywhere in the country. Obviously, Georgia went to Ole Miss and Ole Miss played with their hair on fire for what we can seen on defense. For us, we obviously worry about how hard we can play. Putting ourselves in the best position to be able to make some plays and get some of those opportunities as well.”
On how turnovers will be key in this weekend’s game at Georgia… “That’s always big. We’re always trying to get our ball back for the offense to do what they do. I don’t know if it’s any bigger than any game we play. The team that gets the ball the most is usually the team that wins, so we’re going to do the best we can.”
On why his group has been so consistent… “I think the kids just get it. They play hard, they have bought into the culture. We talk about being tough and playing for each other and with great respect for the game. I just think we’ve got a great group, but I’ve thought that since I’ve been here. A lot of these guys are the same guys we’ve had for four years at this point with a couple of new faces. We’ve got good kids, good kids that want to be coached and want to be great. We’re just excited that they understand it’s a one-game season. I’m proud of that and I just love the way they work.”
On what he’s seen from Peyton Lewis in practice recently… “I think his attention to detail, he’s willing to learn, still trying to figure it all out. The one, two is there. He shows the effort in practice and in the meeting room, so he’ll continue to grow and get better.”
On what he is seeing from the offensive line in front of him, particularly in the second half against the stacked boxes of Mississippi State… “That brings confidence when you see people rolling their safeties down and I’m still trusting my O-Linemen, whoever is in the game still trusting the O-Line to go and handle their blocks. We have the passing game going, too, so you have to respect both sides to it. We’re aggressive, we’re an aggressive team and I know the nature of that, so that’s what we’re going to do.”
On what he’s seen from this Georgia defense… “Their box, specifically their D-Line, they do a good job just holding the point, kind of two-gapping. They play a lot in that three-down front. They do their job well, not letting offensive linemen create space. You talk about playing the whole field, the backers do a good job running to the ball laterally. Safeties get downhill. We’re more in tuned to the box, so that’s probably what I could speak for the most. They do a good job being in their spots and being aggressive.”
On how the communication has grown throughout the season… “It’s definitely way better. We just have this connection with each other now that we did not really have in the beginning. It just makes it a lot easier for us.”
On Will Brooks’ leadership in the secondary… “He is just so smart. He is just able to keep everybody in check. Make sure we’re doing our job and the whole defense overall, just making sure we’re doing what we have to do.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After compiling an 8-1 start and a 5-1 mark in SEC play, Tennessee football remained No. 7 in the Nov. 12 College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings.
The Volunteers were ranked No. 7 in the initial rankings last week. They are one of nine SEC programs in this week’s rankings, joining No. 3 Texas, No. 10 Alabama, No. 11 Ole Miss, No. 12 Georgia, No. 15 Texas A&M, No. 21 South Carolina, No. 22 LSU and No. 23 Missouri.
Tennessee owns a win over current No. 10 Alabama and will travel to face No. 12 Georgia this weekend in Athens. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC.
College Football Playoff Rankings (Nov. 12) 1. Oregon (10-0) 2. Ohio State (8-1) 3. Texas (8-1) 4. Penn State (8-1) 5. Indiana (10-0) 6. BYU (9-0) 7. Tennessee (8-1) 8. Notre Dame (9-1) 9. Miami (9-1) 10. Alabama (7-2) 11. Ole Miss (8-2) 12. Georgia (7-2) 13. Boise State (8-1) 14. SMU (8-1) 15. Texas A&M (7-2) 16. Kansas State (7-2) 17. Colorado (7-2) 18. Washington State (8-1) 19. Louisville (6-3) 20. Clemson (7-2) 21. South Carolina (6-3) 22. LSU (6-3) 23. Missouri (7-2) 24. Army (9-0) 25. Tulane (8-2)
Game Recap: Women’s Basketball | November 12, 2024 | Eric Trainer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In a battle of undefeated in-state rivals residing just outside the top 25, Tennessee narrowly missed a school record in draining 15 three-pointers to sink Middle Tennessee, 89-75, Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 9,697 at Food City Center.
The Lady Vols (3-0) tied two previous performances for second in the school record book with their 15 makes, coming up just short of the 2011 program best of 16 vs. Kentucky on March 6, 2011. They did, however, topple the UT mark for three-point attempts for the second straight game, unleashing 42 tries behind the arc and finishing just five off the SEC record.
Redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper paced the Big Orange on the evening, recording her first-ever double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds on 8-of-16 shooting. She also added four rebounds, four steals and a block to her stat line. Joining her in double figures for points were senior guard Samara Spencer, with 17, followed by fifth-year guard/forward Tess Darby and senior forward Sara Puckett with 14 and 13, respectively.
Middle Tennessee (2-1) was led by guard Courtney Blakely, who fired in a game-high 25 points. She was joined in double figures by Anastasiia Boldyreva, with 18, along Jalynn Gregory and Ta’Mia Scott, who tossed in 13 points apiece.
MTSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Spencer got the home team on the scoreboard with a three-pointer with 7:36 to go in the opening stanza. The Blue Raiders, who scored 10 of their first 12 points in the paint, built their lead to seven, 12-5, before a pair of Darby free throws cut the gap to five heading into the 4:38 media timeout. The rest of the period, UT unleashed a 16-6 run, with a trio of Spencer treys and Cooper buckets helping fuel the Big Orange to a 23-18 lead after one. Tennessee tallied 11 points off six MTSU turnovers during that initial 10 minutes.
The teams exchanged buckets early in the second frame before a UT trap forced a Middle Tennessee timeout with the Lady Vols leading, 25-20, with 7:16 to go. Coming out of the break, Tennessee built a 29-23 lead on a Jillian Hollingshead layup and pair of Kaniya Boyd free throws. After the Blue Raiders trimmed the gap to 29-27 at the 5:00 mark, the Lady Vols got consecutive threes from Alyssa Latham, Puckett and Zee Spearman to stretch their advantage to 38-27. Another three by Puckett with 46 seconds left increased the lead to 13, 41-28, before a bucket by Boldyreva sent the teams to the locker room with the Big Orange in front, 41-30.
Tennessee built its biggest lead at 17 twice midway through the third, with Cooper getting layups to push her team up 53-36 (6:56) and 55-38 (6:15). She netted 10 points during that span as her squad took a 55-42 lead into the 4:50 media timeout. Middle Tennessee began to chip away at the gap, cutting the deficit to 10, 60-50, with 2:20 to go and then got a layup with four seconds left to trail 67-57 going into the final quarter.
The Blue Raiders trimmed the margin to eight twice in the early moments of the fourth, including 69-61 with 7:58 to go, but a pair of threes by Darby put the Lady Vols back up by 11, 75-64, forcing MTSU to ask for time with 6:06 remaining. A free throw by Blakely enabled Middle Tennessee to work within nine, 75-66, with 5:51 remaining, but a Cooper driving layup and a corner three by Latham sent the home team into the 4:37 media timeout with an 80-67 advantage. After MTSU netted a pair of free throws after the break, Ruby Whitehorn made it 83-69 with a three at the 3:40 mark and then Darby hit two more of her four final-frame treys with 2:58 and 1:47 remaining, respectively, to put the game on ice.
NEXT UP: The Lady Vols are back in action on Saturday, as Liberty comes to Knoxville for UT’s fourth straight home contest to open the 2024-25 campaign. The matchup will be streamed live on SECN+ at noon ET.
NO SHUTTING DOWN SAM: Senior Samara Spencer was untouchable in the first quarter, knocking down four straight three-pointers in the span of four minutes. She owned 13 of the Lady Vols’ 23 points in the first quarter. Spencer surpassed her previous season high of 12 points in the first quarter alone, sinking 13 points. She also notched a season high in field goals, tallying six. Spencer’s final stat line was a season-best 17 points while matching her season high of five assists.
COOP IN CONTROL: Redshirt sophomore Talaysia Cooper sparked the offense in the third quarter, sinking 12 of the 26 points scored. Cooper finished her night by recording her first career double-double with18 points and 10 rebounds. The Turbeville, South Carolina, native matched her career high in field goals with eight. She also set a new career high in rebounds, grabbing ten.
AGGRESSIVE FROM THE ARC: Seven Lady Vols drained at least one three-pointer during tonight’s affair, combining for a team total of 15 that tied for second place in school history. The squad tied the 2010 team who did it twice in one season against Chattanooga (11/15/10) and Lamar (12/1/10). During tonight’s matchup, Samara Spencer and Tess Darby hit four each, Alyssa Latham and Sara Puckett made two each, while Jewel Spear, Ruby Whitehorn and Zee Spearman recorded one apiece.
ENDING ON A HIGH NOTE: Tennessee staved off MTSU in the fourth quarter, outscoring the visitors by four. Tess Darby led the charge, draining four three-pointers in as many attempts, while Ruby Whitehorn connected on two field goals. Alyssa Latham and Talaysia Cooper added a field goal apiece to help seal the game, as Tennessee enjoyed its finest field goal percentage of the night at 66.7 percent.
SUCCESS AGAINST IN-STATE FOES: The Lady Vols improved to 265-62-1 all-time vs. four-year college teams from the Volunteer State through the 89-75 home win over MTSU on Nov. 12, 2024. UT, which defeated UT Martin and Middle Tennessee in back-to-back games this season, has won 21 of 23 over schools from within the state border and 37 of the last 39, with the lone setbacks during that run being a 76-69 loss to Vanderbilt in Knoxville on Feb. 28, 2019, and a 73-62 loss to Middle Tennessee in Huntsville, Ala., on Dec. 6, 2023. With the win this season vs. MTSU, Tennessee improved to 23-1 all-time in the series vs. the Blue Raiders.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway by The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation following an officer-involved shooting Tuesday afternoon in North Knoxville.
Officials with the Knoxville Police Department say the incident happened in the 2600 block of Fairview Street just before 2:00 p.m.
They say officers responded to the area after hearing about a man armed with an axe. Officers encountered the man, and at some time during that encounter, he was shot at least one time.
The man was taken to an area hospital; his condition is not known at this time.
This is a developing story.
Man armed with axe hospitalized after Knoxville officer shoots him, KPD says. (Courtesy: KPD)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department is investigating after a man said he was robbed and shot in the leg at an AirBnB in northeast Knoxville.
KPD officials say officers responded to the AirBnB in the 1700 block of 8th Avenue around 2:40 Tuesday morning. While there, they spoke with the victim, a 44-year-old man, who reportedly told the officers that he had been with a woman and after falling asleep, he woke up to two masked and armed people who robbed him of his cash and shot him.
The suspects were described to police as two younger males; both reportedly fled from the scene.
At this time, the investigation is ongoing.
According to KPD Communications Manager Scott Erland, officers responded to the AirBnB around 2:40 a.m. Tuesday. (Courtesy: KPD)
Safety first, fashion second! So while it may look like we’re making a bold statement in orange, we’re just following the rules—no team loyalty implied!
