Neighbors react to officer involved shooting in Gibson County

GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn — Gunfire erupts on Pleasant Hill Road Thursday morning just outside of Humboldt sending the suspect to a hospital.

“The lady that lives at this house saw someone in her backyard or on her property that she thought was armed with a weapon,” said Gibson County Sheriff Paul Thomas.

Thomas said when she called for help things escalated.

“A couple of deputies responded to it and once they got out here they did encounter a subject that had a gun and it led to one of my deputies discharging his weapon,” said Thomas.

The TBI confirms Robert Solberg, 32, was shot and airlifted to a Memphis hospital but have not released where he was shot.

Neither officer involved was hurt.

The TBI also confirms a weapon believed to belong to Solberg was recovered at the scene but would not confirm the type of weapon.

“I heard sirens go by the house and I was trying to figure out what was going on.”

Neighbor Mara Mayfield was about to start her day when she says she saw and heard police cars flying by.

“I heard shots and I was like what is going on because the dogs I have out here were howling,” Mayfield said.

The TBI has confirmed that Solburg lived just a few houses up from where the shooting happened.

One neighbor said he saw the suspect just earlier in the morning.

“We just seen him and he’s a good ole country boy,” said longtime friend, Chad Dickerson.

Chad Dickerson and Steve Hall were delivering dirt and said they saw Solberg just hours before the shooting.

“We just came by and he was standing in the garage and he had shorts on and he was just looking around,” Hill said.

The next thing they knew police were racing through the neighborhood.

“We were just working up the road and it just freaked us out a little bit and we heard his name and we had no idea what was going on.”

The names of the deputies involved have not been released.

So far no word as to why Solberg may have been on his neighbor’s property.

Sheriff Thomas said the number of shots fired is under investigation.
Both officers who responded to the call are on routine paid administrative leave as the investigation continues.