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Knoxville high school shooting: Student suspect shot dead, teen male arrested, cop injured

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Austin-East Magnet High school shooting in Knoxville TN
Austin-East Magnet High school shooting: Student shot dead, black student arrested, cop injured at Knoxville high school. Image via social media.
Austin-East Magnet High school shooting in Knoxville TN
Austin-East Magnet High school shooting: Student shot dead, black student arrested, cop injured at Knoxville high school. Image via social media

Austin-East Magnet High school shooting: Student shot dead, black student arrested, cop injured at Knoxville high school in Tennessee. No known motive. 

A male teenage student has been shot dead and a police officer injured at a Knoxville high school in Tennessee on Monday. 

The incident took place at Austin-East Magnet High School at around 3:15 pm.

A teen male suspect was detained according to video (see below) supplied by WATE

A source speaking to Knox News said the wounded police officer is the Austin-East school resource officer. He was shot in the hip and was undergoing surgery. The officer was shot after commanding a teen student at a school’s restroom believed to be in possession of a gun to give up the weapon. The officer was wounded when the boy fired at officers, with the student fatally wounded upon officers returning gunfire.

Multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, converged on the site after the Knoxville Police Department tweeted about the shooting shortly before 4pm. 

No known motive

Police said in a statement: ‘A KPD officer was shot 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 dead at the scene, while another was detained for further investigation. There are no other known gunshot victims at this time.’ 

Knox County Schools spokeswoman Carly Harrington said the school was placed on lockdown as a precaution. The scene has since been labeled secure. 

A source speaking to Knox News on condition of anonymity said the situation was no longer ‘active,’ and that one person has been detained. 

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said that she visited with the officer who was shot and said he’s in good spirits, with the officer relaying he would rather this happen to him than to someone else.

No information has been immediately released on the person shot dead, or the suspected gunman. It’s not clear if the person shot was a student, or the shooter or what led to the shooting.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation would be leading an investigation into the shooting, the Knoxville Police said, as is standard protocol for all shootings involving an officer. 

Austin-East Magnet High school shooting in Knoxville TN
Austin-East Magnet High school shooting in Knoxville TN.

Series of shootings in recent months school vicinity

WVLT reported that paramedics from the local fire department who arrived on the scene had to be shielded by police officers to administer first aid. 

Police said a reunification site for parents to pick up their children has been established at the baseball field behind Austin-East High School. 

‘The school building has been secured and students who were not involved in the incident have been released to their families,’ said KCS Superintendent Bob Thomas

Austin-East High School has a designated magnet program in performing arts. A magnet school is a school with specialized courses or curricula that draws students from various school districts.

The school was the subject of media reports in February after four students were shot to death over a three-week span. 

Those earlier shootings did not take place in the school, and administrators at the time said students felt the arts magnet school was a safe space. 

Structural impediments: poverty, unequal education & economic opportunities.

In the weeks after the deaths, the Knoxville City Council approved $1 million budget to help fund the city’s efforts of violence prevention. A first contract, with Cities United, was approved last week. Many applauded the first steps but say much more is needed to combat systemic issues like poverty and unequal education and economic opportunities.

Last week, Republican Governor Lee signed off on legislation that would make Tennessee the latest state to soon allow most adults 21 and older to carry handguns – openly or concealed — without first clearing a background check and training.  

The law, which does not apply to long guns, will take effect July 1.  

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