From District Attorney Russell Johnson
Yesterday (Thursday 12/7/20) at around 1:30 pm agents with the 9th District Drug Task Force working with officers from Lenoir City Police Department recovered a stolen vehicle (Hyundai Elantra) that was traveling through Lenoir City. The vehicle was stolen out of Knox County and the defendant had outstanding warrants in Jefferson County for additional vehicle thefts and had just been released from Knox County. The owner of the car was an elderly woman from Knox County who was mainly concerned that the Bible she had left in the vehicle was safe. The tag on the car was actually from a stolen Ford F-150 that was not recovered. LCPD is bringing charges.
Then at 2:50 pm they apprehended five individuals trying to escape in their older model white Mitsubishi from the Wal-Mart parking lot after stealing over $1,000 in Lego sets from the Lenoir City Wal-Mart. These individuals are also suspected in numerous retail thefts in Knox County and agents discovered that the trunk of their car was loaded with Lego box sets allegedly stolen for the Lenoir City Wal-Mart and potentially other locations. Agents had to act fast to keep the driver from running over an elderly male in the parking lot, averting possible serious injury to the innocent bystander. Drug paraphernalia was found in the car as well. LCPD is bringing charges.
Just after this incident at about 4:19 pm Agents were notified of another scene in the Wal-Mart parking lot where a male individual (who is suspected of being a convicted felon) had evidently shot himself in the hand and leg. According to an eye witness, the man was loading his handgun with a magazine and racking the slide, when the gun discharged. Upon reaching him in his white Toyota Matrix agents discovered that the round had evidently penetrated through his hand and then his left leg possibly hitting his femoral artery. Citizen witnesses acted quickly to use a belt as a tourniquet to save the man from bleeding out. DTF agents assisted the good Samaritans to render first aid and to stem the flow of copious amounts of blood that could have caused serious consequences for the ‘victim’. The victim was transported to UT Medical Center.
All three incidents happened in a span of about three hours. The 9th DTF is working with other local agencies as part of a retail theft task force during the holiday season. Frequently, items are stolen from retail stores and resold or traded for drugs, furthering drug activity in the community. Folks, be careful while out shopping – Covid-19 and crooks abound! Stay smart and stay safe.
