KPD identifies victim in deadly shooting outside of Knox Rail Salvage on Depot Street (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police have now identified the victim in a deadly shooting that happened near the Old City while the search for the suspect continues.
That shooting happened Wednesday afternoon outside of the Knox Rail Salvage on Depot Street.
KPD found 51 year-old Christopher Hill of Knoxville, who’d been shot at least once, lying next to a box truck. Hill was pronounced dead at the scene.
Efforts remain ongoing to identify the suspect who police say drove off before officers arrived. Officials say Homicide Unit detectives are working active leads.
Police are urging anyone who potentially witnessed the shooting or with information that could assist detectives to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165. Tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible to receive a cash reward.
Jefferson County man, Bart Gore, 51, arrested on felony charges for Jan. 6 Capitol breach (Courtesy: Department of Justice)
Dandridge, TN (WOKI) A Jefferson County man is arrested Tuesday on felony and misdemeanor charges related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots.
Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice say 51 year-old Bart Gore of Dandridge entered the Capitol Building on January 6 along with other people rioting over the result of the 2020 presidential election that Donald Trump lost. He was caught on several videos entering the building; investigators also said they had obtained messages Gore sent about attending the riots, some of which spoke of harming former president Barack Obama and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Gore also stated on social media and in messages that he had bought a mouth guard and wasp spray for the event. According to the DOJ, he also stated he was bringing a rifle. Other messages showed Gore mentioning how he went inside the building and got tear gassed.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Knoxville and Washington offices.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Thursday the Tennessee Disability Coalition revealed it downgraded the state’s score from a D+ to a D in year two of its disability scorecard.
The Tennessee Disability Coalition is a culmination of other organizations that promote “full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of life.” It offers programs that help people with disabilities find jobs, training for families of people with disabilities and more.
The organization says the state failed to improve in multiple categories, leading it to downgrade the state’s score. According to the coalition, the state received a failing score for a lack of policies, practices, opportunities and outcomes for residents with disabilities.
Additionally, the state scored a C or worse in employment, aging, family caregiving support, affordability of care, transportation, mental health access, housing and employment.
The state scored an incomplete in education but scored an A- in early intervention.
WVLT News reached out to Gov. Bill Lee’s office for a statement on the scorecard but did not hear back. Story courtesy of WVLT
Knoxville Police are searching for a suspect in a deadly shooting that happened near the Old City.
It happened yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon outside of the Knox Rail Salvage on Depot Street.
KPD found a man who’d been shot at least once next to a box truck. He died at the scene. Police say the suspect drove off before officers got there and investigators say the shooting was targeted and not random.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact KPD.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says 34 year-old Kyle Dixon was last seen on Saturday afternoon. He was wearing a black jacket and jeans and left Brantley Drive in West Knoxville on a motorcycle. His friends filed a missing persons report because they fear for his safety.
If you have any information you are asked to contact KCSO.
Blount County man pleads guilty to tax fraud (Credit: Frankly Media)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Blount County man has pleaded guilty to tax fraud and is ordered to pay thousands of dollars in restitution.
Officials with the Tennessee Department of Revenue say Bruce Martin Lemanski, a former bookkeeper for Art of Cakes in Maryville, did not report taxable sales at the business.
“It is a felony for retailers to collect sales tax from the public and then fail to remit it to the state,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. “It is a breach of the public trust, and the Department of Revenue will never quit pursuing criminal sanctions to provide accountability for these actions.”
Lemanki has been ordered to pay $70,629.78 in restitution and will see one year of probation.
Jason Sullivan, 45 and Shalena Wells, 39 (Courtesy: JIMS)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Two people are now facing charges after police found them asleep in a car with drugs, a gun and a small child.
Knoxville Police Department officials say the incident happened around 6:00 a.m. Monday when officers responded to an address on Merchant Drive to find 39 year-old Shalena Wells and 45 year-old Jason Sullivan asleep in a Hyundai Accent. When they woke Sullivan up and he stepped out of the car, a “clear crystal like substance” fell out of his lap.
Officers also found a glass pipe, a cut straw and a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver. Police said they believed that the two had methamphetamine and cocaine in the car. According to police, the gun was in a black bag situated next to a child in the back seat.
Both Sullivan and Wells were charged with child abuse. Sullivan, a convicted felon, is also facing a weapons charge, and Wells was charged with several drug charges.
Seven teenage males, all juveniles, were arrested after Knoxville Police Department officers attempted to stop a stolen vehicle on Tuesday afternoon.
At around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, KPD officers spotted a Hyundai SUV on Maryville Pike that was reported stolen in Sevier County. Officers attempted to stop the SUV, but the driver did not stop and sped away.
At around 1:45 p.m., a resident reported that two unknown individuals wearing all black had run through their yard. It was further reported that those individuals had gone to a home in the 5300 block of W. Martin Mill Pike.
One of the juveniles who was in the stolen car was located in the home, while the other six juveniles were located inside of a camper behind the home.
Four exited the camper and were taken into custody without incident.
One juvenile, a 16-year-old male armed with two firearms, refused to come out of the camper and barricaded himself inside.
KPD crisis negotiators were requested to the scene. Due to the address being outside of city limits, Knox County Sheriff’s Office negotiators and additional personnel responded to the scene as well.
After over 90 minutes of negotiations, in coordination with KCSO personnel, the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.
Another juvenile was found hiding inside the camper following the resolution of the barricaded situation.
Two firearms were recovered in addition to numerous suspected Hydrocodone pills. The stolen SUV was found abandoned a short distance from the residence on W. Martin Mill.
All seven juveniles were taken into custody on various charges related to auto theft, weapon possession, and evading arrest.
“The impact of No Trash November continues to grow each year,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “This initiative affirms why Tennessee is called the volunteer state and is an excellent example of successful collaborations between nonprofit organizations, volunteer groups, and state, county, and city governments.”
More than an eyesore, litter on our public roads and waterways has detrimental impacts on safety, the environment, and the economy. At any given time, there are 88 million pieces of litter on the state’s roadways. TDOT spends more than $23 million annually on litter pickup and prevention education, which is funded through dedicated revenue from Tennessee’s Soft Drink and Malt Beverage industries.
“We are grateful for our many partners across the state that came together in November to help us in our mission to prevent and reduce litter,” said Brittany Morris, TDOT Transportation Program Coordinator. “This year’s No Trash November exceeded our goal by more than 36,000 pounds. We also increased the number of cleanups and volunteers and expanded the program to include even more opportunities for student-athletes and youth groups, including Girl Scout Troops.”
Special recognition for the most pounds collected in four categories (Keep Tennessee Beautiful Affiliate, Adopt-A-Highway Group, Youth Group, and River Group) goes to Memphis City Beautiful for collecting 11,936 pounds, HOA Litter Angels in Lenoir City for collecting 960 pounds, The Cleanup Kids in Hamilton County for collecting 340 pounds, and Keep Tennessee River Beautiful for removing 13,126 pounds from Cherokee Lake of the Holston River.
Knoxville Police Department detectives are in the early stages of an investigation into a shooting that happened on Wednesday morning at a Merchant Center Boulevard motel.
At around 7:10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, KPD officers responded to the report of a shooting with a victim at the Econo Lodge at 5505 Merchant Center Boulevard. Officers arrived on scene and found a man in a second-floor room who had been shot at least one time. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment. At this time, he is in critical but stable condition.
It is believed that the currently unidentified male suspect entered the room, shot the victim for reasons that remain under investigation and left the area in a vehicle. Efforts remain ongoing to positively identify and locate the suspect.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165. Tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible to receive a cash reward.
