Police Knoxville school shooting scene
Several videos posted on Facebook appear to show the inside of the Knoxville high school where a shooting was reported on April 12, 2021, and a second video appears to show police taking a younger male into custody after the school shooting, but it later turned out he was just a witness who didn’t do anything wrong. A third video appears to show people running across the lawn after the shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School.
Authorities now say the gunman, a student, is the only person dead and that they took someone else into custody but are now describing him as a witness. Thus, the videos do not show the suspect, but they do give a glimpse into the aftermath of the frightening sequence of events.
The videos were posted to Facebook by a woman named Monet Jackson. You can watch them later in this article.
Authorities previously said that a police officer was among “multiple” gunshot victims; they now say that one male was killed and a police officer injured. The suspect’s identity was not released. It’s not clear what the suspect’s motive was as the situation was just unfolding on the afternoon of April 12. The officer is expected to live, and it’s now clear the deceased person is the suspect.
In a statement, police said that, around 3:15 p.m., multiple law enforcement agencies responded to an officer-involved shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School.
There was a report “of a male subject who was possibly armed in the school. Upon approach of the subject, shots were fired.”
Police said a KPD officer was “struck at least one time and transported to the UT Medical Center with injuries that are not expected to be life-threatening. One male was pronounced deceased at the scene, while another was detained for further investigation. There are no other known gunshot victims.” The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will lead the investigation.
The video shows crime scene tape inside the school.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Other Videos Show People Running at the Scene
A second video posted by Jackson to Facebook shows a young male in custody with police officers. The male is carrying a black bag behind him. However, as noted police now say he’s a witness.
In a third video, you see what looks like officers or officials running across the grass. “The shots was literally outside my classroom in the hallway 🤬” Jackson wrote. On Facebook, Jackson allowed the media to use her videos and confirmed that she recorded them.
In another post she wrote, “Gun shots in the school!!!!” Heavy wrote to Jackson to get further information.
The Gunman Was Located in a Restroom, Authorities Say
Multiple agencies are on the scene of a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School. Multiple gunshot victims reported, including a KPD officer. The investigation remains active at this time. Please avoid the area.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation gave out this statement:
At the request of 6th District Attorney General Charme Allen, TBI special agents are investigating the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting this afternoon in Knoxville.
Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 3:15 p.m., the Knoxville Police Department received a report of an individual possibly armed with a gun at Austin-East Magnet High School. Upon arrival, officers located the individual inside a school restroom. They ordered him out, but he refused to comply. As officers entered the restroom, the subject reportedly fired shots, striking an officer. One officer returned fire. The subject was pronounced dead at the scene and has since been identified as a student. The officer who was shot was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
At this time, the investigation remains active and ongoing, as TBI Agents continue to gather any and all relevant evidence, interviews, and information. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for her further review and consideration.
The TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and, instead, refer questions of that nature to their respective department to answer as it sees fit.
As a reminder, the TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters. That decision rests solely with the District Attorney General requesting TBI’s involvement.
Any updates on this investigation, including the name of the deceased individual, will be posted online at TBINewsroom.com.
The Knoxville Police Department wrote on Twitter, “Multiple agencies are on the scene of a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School. Multiple gunshot victims reported, including a KPD officer. The investigation remains active at this time. Please avoid the area.”
The school was later secured, Knox County Schools Superintendent Bob Thomas tweeted.
“A reunification site has been established at the baseball field behind Austin-East High School near Wilson and S. Hembree,” police later tweeted.