Man allegedly fires on trooper, is killed

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is probing a shooting in Coffee County, Tennessee, involving a state trooper who shot a man dead Saturday after the man allegedly pulled a gun out of his car during a crash investigation and fired on the officer.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper, who has not been named, returned fire and killed the man, identified as 49-year-old William Pound, according to a statement from the TBI.

The THP declined to provide the crash report or comment on the shooting Monday.

TBI officials say preliminary information shows the incident began at around 3 p.m. CDT Saturday when a state trooper was investigating a crash on Interstate 24 westbound in Coffee County near mile marker 120. That’s close to the Winchester Highway overpass on I-24 southwest of Hillsboro.

After getting to the crash scene, the trooper saw a car in the median and began working the crash. As the trooper worked, TBI officials said, the driver allegedly walked over to the car and retrieved a gun.

“For reasons still under investigation, the man fired the weapon, resulting in the trooper returning fire,” TBI officials said in the statement. Pound was pronounced dead at the scene. The trooper was not injured.

TBI officials said the investigation is continuing and evidence in the case will be turned over to 14th Judicial District Attorney General Craig Northcott.

The TBI did not identify the trooper, deferring to the Highway Patrol office.