Fayette deputy recovering after Thanksgiving shooting

Three people are in custody while a Fayette County, Tennessee, sheriff’s deputy recovers from a Thanksgiving Day shooting near an Oakland convenience store.

Deputy Jimmy Pardue was shot as he and an Oakland police officer pursued a suspect through the woods after a reported robbery at Murphy’s Gas Station on U.S. 64.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, a suspect identified as Christopher Lee walked into the gas station parking lot shortly before 8 a.m. Thanksgiving and took a deposit bag from the store clerk, Jessica Gardner.

The TBI said Lee ran into the woods, where he encountered the two officers. Shots were exchanged, and Pardue received non-critical injuries.

Lee then ran across the street to another gas station and stole a vehicle, which later crashed at U.S. 64 and Rockcreek Parkway in Shelby County, authorities say. Memphis police took Lee into custody.

An investigation revealed that Gardner helped plan the robbery, so she was arrested and charged along with Lee.

Lee was charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated assault against law enforcement, one count of carjacking, one count of theft over $10,000, one count of employment of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony, one count of felon in possession of a weapon and one count of felony evading arrest.

Gardner was charged with one count of theft over $10,000. She and Lee were booked into the Fayette County Jail.

On Friday, police charged a third suspect. Agents said Samuel Watkins helped plan the robbery and drove Lee to the gas station.

Watkins was charged with one count of theft over $10,000, and he also was booked into the Fayette County Jail.

TBI said Monday there was no new information in the case.