Woman discharges duty rifle after climbing into police vehicle
CROCKETT COUNTY, Tenn. — Multiple agencies responded to a disturbance call Tuesday that took an unexpected turn.
Courtesy: Jeffrey Clark
Tuesday afternoon, the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department and other responding agencies handled a family disturbance call near the McDonald’s on Highway 88 in Bells.
“She had ran out in traffic stopping cars and trying to get in cars then I pull up and several other officers pull up. She ran up to my truck. I was thinking she wanted to talk to me so I started exiting my vehicle. She opened the door at the same time I was getting out she opened the back door and climbed in,” said Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce.
Upon Sheriff Klyce’s initial approach to assist the distressed woman, he tells us that she unexpectedly discharged a single round from a duty rifle.
“Myself and another officer was trying to control her and then a weapon went off. We weren’t sure if she was shooting at us or what had happened,” said Klyce.
The sheriff’s department was joined by officers from Bells, Maury City, Alamo, and Gadsden’s police departments to help evaluate the scene.
“We found out that my rifle was in the back seat and somehow or another I guess she jumped on it. I really don’t know. I guess the safety was off. I’m just guessing all of this. Normally, I don’t keep it loaded but for some reason it was still loaded and it did go off but it didn’t hurt anybody,” said Klyce.
In light of this occurrence, authorities are actively working with mental health professionals to get the woman the support and the care that she needs. It’s their priority to facilitate a pathway of recovery and assistance for her and her family.
“She’s doing better right now. We’re trying to figure out what’s going on with her. She’s being charged with filing a false police report and right now, that’s it,” said Klyce.
No one was injured as a result of this incident, which still remains under investigation.
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