Police chief calls for the release of bodycam video from teen’s shooting
KNOXVILLE — Knoxville Police Chief Eve Thomas has added her voice to those calling for the release of body camera video that shows how 17-year-old Anthony J. Thompson Jr. ended up shot to death during a confrontation with four of her police officers in a bathroom at Austin-East Magnet High School.
“Chief Eve Thomas wants and supports the release of the relevant body camera footage from the officer-involved shooting inside of Austin-East Magnet High School,” police spokesman Scott Erland told the Knoxville News Sentinel on Thursday night. “Our officers want to see the video released, and the community deserves it.”
Knoxville police were equipped with body-worn cameras just two weeks ago, and city and police leaders lauded the move as a victory for transparent policing.
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon and the city law department said they have legal concerns about releasing the body camera footage themselves. Kincannon said Wednesday she asked Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen to release a redacted version of the video, but Allen declined.
Allen spoke at length during a news conference Thursday to explain her reasoning, saying she thinks releasing the video could compromise her ongoing investigation. She said she won’t do so
“Our officers want to see the video released, and the community deserves it.”
– KNOXVILLE POLICE SPOKESMAN SCOTT ERLAND
before her investigation has concluded and she has first shown the recordings to Thompson’s family members.
The shooting occurred about 3:15 p.m. Monday in a bathroom at the high school after officers came to the school on what they say was a report of a student who was possibly armed with a gun. Officers found Thompson holed up in a restroom and went inside.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation because
it involves a police shooting. TBI Director David Rausch reported, incorrectly, at a news conference Monday night that police returned fire and killed Thompson after the teenager first fired and wounded Knoxville Police Department Officer Adam Willson. Rausch is a former Knoxville police chief.
The TBI account changed dramatically when it released a new statement Wednesday. The TBI maintained that Thompson had a gun but said preliminary tests showed the bullet that hit Willson did not, in fact, come from Thompson’s gun. The new statement said officers struggled with Thompson, and that Thompson’s gun “was fired” during the struggle. It did not say who fired
the gun.
Police then fired twice, the TBI said. Willson was hit by friendly fire — either his own or from one of the three other officers involved. Investigators did not explain the roles of the officers in the confrontation.
Willson was taken to University of Tennessee Medical Center and underwent surgery on his upper leg. Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators have not said who shot Thompson. Knoxville police announced Thursday that the four officers involved have been put on the standard paid leave while the investigation is conducted. The officers were identified as Willson, Lt. Stanley Cash, Brian Baldwin and Jonathon Clabough.