Police arrest suspect in North Knoxville shooting that hospitalized woman, damaged school bus

Posted: Feb 17, 2021 / 03:23 PM EST

Updated: Feb 18, 2021 / 01:52 PM EST

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knoxville Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection to shooting that injured a woman and damaged a Knox County school bus Wednesday.

Paul Foutner. Photo: Knoxville Police Dept.

Paul Foutner, 30, of Knoxville, has been arrested and charged for the shooting that occurred on February 17, 2021 on N. Central Street near Atlantic Avenue. Foutner is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and one count of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.

The victim remains in very critical condition at UT Medical Center, according to a release.

Knoxville Police responded around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday to North Central Street and Atlantic Avenue for a reported shooting with a victim.

Police say the woman was driving near the intersection of the two streets when she was hit by gunfire. Police found the vehicle crashed into a building. The woman was taken to the hospital by ambulance with life-threatening injuries.

KPD also reports that a Knox County school bus was struck by a bullet during the shooting. Three people, one of whom is a student, were on board at the time of the shooting but police say no one on the bus was injured.

Knox County Schools says the bus was serving Christenberry Elementary School.

The road remained closed as police continued to investigate.

“An adult female occupant of the vehicle was found unresponsive, suffering from at least one gunshot wound, and was transported to the UT Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries. A male occupant of the vehicle was not injured during the shooting.”
KPD

Anyone with information relevant to this or any other shooting investigation is urged to call the KPD Crime and Drug Hotline at 865-215-7212.

The shooting is the latest in a string of violence plaguing the city as seen in this timeline of shootings in 2021.

The KPD is investigating a shooting with victim on N. Central Street at Atlantic Avenue. The intersection is closed to through traffic indefinitely. Please seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/V0YTFLEKSX
— Knoxville Police TN (@Knoxville_PD) February 17, 2021

Dispatch: Knoxville Police respond to reported shooting in North Knoxville

Earlier: Dispatch confirmed Wednesday that the Knoxville Police Department is responding to a reported shooting in the 3000 block of North Central Street.

Call reportedly came in at 2:45 p.m.

WATE 6 On Your Side has a crew on the way to learn more.

This is a developing story.