The Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office arrest a suspect armed with a rifle.
Deputies responding to an address in Strawberry Plains Saturday and spoke to a husband and wife who said the husband’s brother, Nicholas Shawn Knight, assaulted them and was armed with a rifle.
After 20 minutes of searching, Knight was found in a tree line with the weapon.
He was booked on two counts of aggravated assault.
Legendary singer, songwriter and storytelling Stevie Nicks is coming to Knoxville.
She’ll be performing at Thompson Boling Arena on Tuesday, May 16th.
Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. on https://www.livenation.com/.
Rural Metro Fire officials are investigating an early (Monday) morning house fire in North Knoxville.
Crews were called to a brush fire in the 8300 block of Jenkins Lane but they found a structure fully engulfed in flames.
No one was at home and no injuries were reported.
KPD investigators are asking for help to find a man suspected of fraud.
Police say the man is part of an ongoing fraud investigation. On Decemer 14 of last year, he made an over $2,500 purchase at the West Town Mall using someone else’s credit card information.
Anyone with information, is asked to call East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.
Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel recapped his first seven months on the job Thursday.
Paul Noel was announced as the new chief at the end of April 2022. He is a 25-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department and replaced former-Chief Eve Thomas.
In a press briefing, Noel recapped the changes he made and the initiatives he started to improve the department. Included in that was a major department restructuring, an review that revealed employee complaints of internal discrimination and strides to improve transparency and ethical policing.
Early on, Noel said the New Orleans department was previously known for its corruption, now, however, it is a bastion for policing ethics. That passion for transparency and ethical policing is something Noel has tried to bring to Knoxville.
Early into his tenure, Noel had the department join the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project. KPD was the first agency in Tennessee to join ABLE, and training is set to be implemented in 2023.
Another addition was the establishment of the Use of Force Review Board. The board will review serious instances of use of force from a policy, procedural and training perspective. That board also makes recommendations to improve policy and training concerning use of force. The Use of Force Review Board isn’t the only new body in KPD, however.
The Crash Review Board is another new body, which is aimed at making discipline and corrective action recommendations surrounding crashes involving KPD vehicles. That board is also designed to make recommendations on policy and training.
Internally, Noel moved the internal affairs department under the day-to-day supervision of the assistant chief. After that move, several internal affairs cases that were opened during Thomas’ administration, most notably, a case investigating racist behavior among officers.
Additionally, Noel has initiated the development of a new position: the deputy chief of professional standards. The position is set to be a non-sworn, executive level job that will focus on police, practices and procedures. That same person would also be in charge of the department’s efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion.
That change came after Noel initiated an internal evaluation by 21CP Solutions. In that evaluation, KPD officers and employees voiced concerns about fairness, racism and sexist discrimination within the department.
Noel also oversaw one of the largest reorganizations in the department’s history. That restructuring re-established the Central District, increasing police districts from two to three.
Another change was the establishment of a Next of Kin program that meets quarterly with the families of homicide victims. The goal of the meetings is to improve communications with the families and offer grief support.
KPD is looking to grow under Noel as well. Under the new chief, the department has started a recruitment campaign including advertisements and changes to the hiring process aimed at increasing applicants and removing barriers to employment.
Under Noel, the department is also working with the City of Knoxville and the Violence Reduction Center. Led by national violence reduction expert Thomas Abt out of the University of Maryland, the partnership is aimed at involving community-members in the reduction of violent crime, like gun violence.
Noel said KPD is planning to enhance recruiting efforts with a focus on improving diversity. KPD is also planning to work with Fulton High School’s criminal justice program to fill out cadet ranks.
Additionally, Noel set a department goal of reducing murders by 10% in 2023. This as part of an initiative to reduce violent crime in Knoxville. As part of the crim-reduction initiative, Noel said that KPD plans to improve its data analytics capabilities. That includes making public dashboards available to the Knoxville community.
Finally, Noel also said he wants to improve KPD’s technological infrastructure. That will include a new records management system.
Story courtesy of WVLT
The victim from the fatal drag racing crash on Magnolia Avenue is identified.
65 year-old Michael Williams of New Market died as a result of his injuries in Tuesday’s crash. His two grandchildren, aged 5 and 11, remain in critical but stable condition according to officials with the Knoxville Police Department.
The two suspects are charged with felony reckless endangerment and drag racing.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
Dolly Parton, the Queen of East Tennesssee, turns 77 today and there are several events to help you celebrate her special day.
The Grand Ole Opry is celebrating with giveaways planned on its social media pages; it’s serving up Dolly birthday cupcakes for Opry House and Ryman Auditorium tour guests on her birthday. There will be a massive birthday card at the Ryman for fans to sign the 19th through the 21.
Dolly won’t be there, but a Dolly impersonator will be at the Ryman Plaza on January 21st.
For more information, go to the Grand Ole Opry’s Facebook page.
Cruze Farm, which makes ice cream with milk from their East Tennessee family farm, is celebrating Dolly’s special day with discounted ice cream.
Guests can get a kids sweet cream cup or cone for $1 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
You can go to Cruze Farm locations in Downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Sevierville to get your discounted sweet treat.
A historic building in Dolly Parton’s career is celebrating her 77th birthday with a new mural in her honor in downtown Sevierville.
Dolly’s history with The Pines dates back more than 60 years when she had her first paid performance in the building at the age of 10.
They are holding a Dolly birthday bash. It starts at six o’clock tonight.
A joint investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the indictment of a Jacksboro woman on murder charges in connection to an overdose death.
On April 2, 2021, special agents with the TBI Drug Investigation Division joined investigators with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office in investigating the death of Abraham Zenas Wallace (DOB: 2/22/79) after he was found deceased in the 300 block of Cumberland Overlook Lane in Jacksboro. His cause of death was determined to be an overdose caused by fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity. During the course of the investigation, agents determined that Sonya Kay Brotherton (DOB: 6/27/86), Wallace’s wife, was one of the individuals responsible for distributing the drugs to him.
Last week, the Campbell County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Brotherton with one count of Second Degree Murder and one count of Delivery of Schedule II. On Tuesday, she was arrested and booked into the Campbell County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s office is investigating a fatal shooting in Talbott.
One person taken into custody early this (Thursday) morning following that shooting in the 900 block of Ingram Road.
Officials say a preliminary investigation reveals it to be a domestic-related incident.
Drag Racers on Magnolia Avenue not only ran a red light, hitting an SUV killing the Grandfather who was driving his 5 and 11 year-old grandkids who are in critical condition, also leaves nine people looking for a place to live after one of the dragsters hit the Safe Haven Teen Empowerment House where they were living.
Lawrence Williams founder of Safe Haven says one of the residents had to sleep in his car last night because he had no where else to go.
Safe Haven Teen Empowerment House is an organization that gives at-risk teens and families in need a place to stay.
They don’t receive any grant or government funding so they don’t know how they’ll pay for repairs. You can mail donations to 3010 Magnolia Ave, Knoxville, TN 37914 or contact the organization at (865) 334-4806.
The two dragsters are charged with felony reckless endangerment and drag racing. Additional charges are pending.
