Accused gunman in deadly shooting of TBI agent has criminal past

JACKSON, Tenn. — An accused gunman now facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of an undercover Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent reportedly has a criminal history.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Brenden Tyler Burns has had run-ins with law enforcement in West Tennessee since 2012.

Burns was arrested in Carroll County in March of that year for burglary. Since then he has had more than 20 charges between the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Huntingdon Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jackson Police Department.

Burns is now in custody on accusations of shooting and killing TBI Special Agent De’Greaun Frazier Tuesday afternoon during an undercover drug sting.

“They would have probably looked at that, but you don’t know how to expect the unexpected, and you know you can look at all of it and you try to prepare and you try to use all the caution you can have,” Madison County Sheriff John Mehr said.

Sheriff Mehr said deputies arrested Burns this past March for speeding, evading arrest and other charges.

“He made a decision yesterday what he was going to do whether it was an agent, an officer or just an ordinary person. He made the decision that he was going to do something,” Sheriff Mehr said.

Our crews spoke with a number of people who live in the Brianfield Cove area, and no one said they knew Burns.