Pictured: Black teenager shot and killed by cops during 'struggle' in Knoxville school as probe finds wounded officer was NOT hit by bullet fired by 17-year-old's gun
Officials have revealed the identity of a teenage student who was shot dead by police in the bathroom of a Knoxville high school in Tennessee on Monday.
Anthony J. Thompson Jr., 17, was killed after police responded to a report of a person with a gun at Austin-East Magnet High School.
His identity was revealed as authorities revealed that a police officer who was seriously wounded during a 'struggle' with the student inside the high school bathroom was not shot by the student's hand gun, as was first thought.
The new report of the incident, released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, appears to indicate that the officer was, instead, shot by police during the confrontation.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released updated details of a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville on Monday that left the student dead. Victim Anthony J. Thompson Jr. is pictured above
A Tennessee police officer who was wounded during the confrontation with the student inside the high school bathroom was not shot by the student's gun, authorities said Wednesday. The incident took place at Austin-East Magnet High School
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released updated details of a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville on Monday that left the student dead and a school resource officer wounded. The student was identified Wednesday as Thompson, Jr.
TBI Director David Rausch said Monday that a preliminary investigation showed police responded to a report of a possible gunman about 15 minutes before 3:30 p.m. dismissal at the east Knoxville school. Police found the teen, since identified as Thompson, in a bathroom, the TBI said.
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.
Police ordered the student, who is black, to leave the bathroom but he would not comply, Rausch said.
'As officers entered the restroom, the subject reportedly fired shots, striking an officer,' said a TBI statement about the shooting released Monday.
Police fired twice, and Thompson was shot and killed, the TBI said.
On Wednesday, the TBI revised its account in a second statement on the shooting, saying the student's gun was fired during a struggle with an officer.
Anthony J. Thompson Jr., 17, (pictured) was killed after police responded to a report of a person with a gun and were fired upon by the boy
Large number of police officers and first responders arrived on the scene after 3pm
'Preliminary examinations indicate the bullet that struck the KPD officer was not fired from the student's handgun,' the TBI statement released Wednesday said.
The only other gunshots cited in the report were fired by officers. The TBI declined to answer a follow-up question about whether the officer was struck by an officer's bullet.
In its statement Wednesday, the TBI said investigating agents 'discover facts that may clarify initial reports.'
'This is why our agency uses terms in our releases such as `preliminary,' `possibly,' and `reportedly,'' the TBI's statement said. 'This update provides clarification to the initial information released on this case.'
Police fired twice, and Thompson, pictured above, was shot and killed, the TBI said
Police attend a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville, Tennessee
Officer Adam Willson, who is white, was struck in the upper leg and he underwent surgery at a hospital.
The TBI will hand over results of its investigation to the district attorney when complete.
The shooting comes as the community reels from off-campus gun violence that has left three other Austin-East students dead this year. Classes at the high school have been canceled through Monday.
It also comes as more classrooms are reopening to students after months of remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic, which cut down the number of mass killings in the U.S.
The nation has seen a series of mass shootings in recent weeks, including eight people killed at three Atlanta-area massage businesses on March 16 and 10 people killed at Colorado supermarket on March 22.
No comments: