Tennessee: Officer-involved shooting results in the recapture of escaped inmate

An inmate in Tennessee attempted to escape from police custody on Friday but was swiftly apprehended after an officer shot and injured the suspect, officials said.

A correctional officer with Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Department discharged their service weapon at a Pikeville hospital in Bledsoe County, striking an inmate of the Sequatchie County Jail who attempted to escape custody, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Public Information Officer Susan Niland.

Neither the officer nor the inmate were identified.

The inmate was initially transported to the hospital for medical reasons and was transported to a Chattanooga hospital for treatment for the gunshot wound, Niland said.

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The Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Department said a correctional officer fired a weapon and struck an inmate attempting to escape custody on Feb. 10, 2023.  (Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Department)

“Early reports from the scene indicate that after being treated, the inmate attempted to flee from the hospital. The correctional officer discharged a taser with no effect, and then discharged a service weapon, striking the inmate. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident,” a statement from the TBI said.

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The statement continued: “TBI agents are working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews.  Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the district attorney general for her further review and consideration.”

The incident was also confirmed by Sequatchie County Sheriff Bill Phillips.

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“During the afternoon hours of February 10, 2023, a Sequatchie County Corrections Officer was involved in a shooting after chasing an escapee from the Bledsoe County Erlanger Campus,” Phillips said.

The TBI said it “acts solely as fact-finders” in reporting the details of the incident and “does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters.”

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District Attorney General Courtney Lynch and TBI special agents continue to investigate the incident.