KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – The bullet that struck a Knoxville Police officer was not fired from the student’s handgun during an officer-involved shooting incident at Austin-East Magnet High School on Monday, according to an updated press release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Anthony J. Thompson, Jr, 17, died Monday after he was shot by a KPD officer inside a bathroom at the high school.
The report does not state which gun the bullet was fired from, or who was holding it at the time it discharged.
TBI released preliminary findings on Wednesday, updating what investigators believe happened inside the school on Monday:
- After receiving the report of a student possibly armed with a gun, responding KPD officers located the student inside a school restroom at Austin-East.
- Officers entered the restroom.
- During a subsequent struggle, the student’s gun was fired. This was followed by law enforcement firing twice.
- Preliminary examinations indicate the bullet that struck the KPD officer was not fired from the student’s handgun.
“The role of the TBI in these investigations is to determine the facts based on the evidence and present those facts and evidence to the District Attorney General. During investigations, agents discover facts that may clarify initial reports. This is why our agency uses terms in our releases such as “preliminary,” “possibly,” and “reportedly.” This update provides clarification to the initial information released on this case.”
TBI
The investigation is not complete.
