The Knoxville Police Department released the identity of the man who was shot by officers while wielding a small ax or hatchet on Tuesday.
The man was identified on Wednesday as 52-year-old Christopher Arons of Knoxville. A KPD spokesperson said that he remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition. He had two outstanding Knox County warrants at the time of the incident.
Arons now faces two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of vandalism.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are being investigated by the agents with Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at the request of Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen.Knoxville Police: Man shot in the leg during robbery
The Knoxville Police Department reported at 1:53 p.m. that an officer involved shooting investigation was underway in the 2600 block of Fairview Street.
KPD said officers initially responded to the area because of a report of a man armed with an ax. The department shared that the man was reportedly drunk and had smashed the window of a car parked on the road. When officers responded to the scene around 1:20 p.m., the man approached officers while armed with an ax, KPD said.
The department explained that officers asked the man to drop the ax as they attempted to retreat, but he did not and continued to approach the officers. Then the officers fired and the man was struck at least one time. According to the TBI, two Knoxville police officers fired shots.
In a press conference around 2:30 p.m., KPD shared that the situation was believed to have started as a domestic incident around 1:15 p.m. KPD spokesperson Scott Erland the man was reportedly “acting both belligerent and violent.”
The man was taken to an area hospital. At the time he was taken from the scene, Knoxville Police said he was alert and conscious. Tuesday afternoon, KPD shared that the man was hospitalized in critical condition.Driver dead after driving off I-40 in NC
The scene of the shooting is around a quarter of a mile from Belle Morris Elementary School. A spokesperson for Knox County Schools shared that the school was placed on lockdown as a precaution due to law enforcement area in the activity, but the lockdown was lifted before dismissal.
Knoxville Police shared that the incident will also undergo an internal administrative review to determine if the officers’ response was in compliance with KPD policy and procedures. Additionally, per department policy, the relevant body camera video will be released in the coming weeks, Erland shared. The officers involved in the incident were placed on routine administrative leave.
