BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — On Tuesday, deputies responded to a call about a domestic situation at a Blount County home. Authorities said after deputies arrived, the suspect was non-compliant and a shooting broke out.
Authorities said up to 300 rounds were fired, and two deputies were wounded — Corbin Smith and Edward Walker. Neither had life-threatening wounds and Ronald Reed Millsaps, 59, was taken into custody.
"Each one of them only took one bullet to the leg. It's an absolute miracle," said Carrie Smith, the mother of one of the deputies. "It was the worst call I could ever imagine getting."
She said the day before the shooting, she and her son had both been at the hospital where he ended up staying. She said she went to the emergency room and he accompanied her, and he sat beside her while she was in bed.
The next day, she said the roles were reversed.
Corbin is in his fifth year of service at the Blount County Sheriff's Office. After the shooting, he and Walker lived through an experience that has shaped the kind of brotherhood between many deputies.
"They will share that bond forever," said Carrie.
Corbin's mother said he has always loved helping people.
"He wanted to be part of the community," said Carrie. "You never think it's going to happen."
Around four months before the shooting on Tuesday, another Blount County deputy was fatally shot while responding to a traffic stop — Greg McCowan. His partner, Shelby Eggers, was also wounded in the shooting.
And before McCowan, Tucker Blakley was fatally shot in Knox County while responding to a call about a domestic situation in October.
"Keep doing the job that you do," said Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler. "You're doing a service to your community."
Law enforcement leaders call the back-to-back officer shootings one too many.
"For him to have four officers shot in four months, it's just unheard of," said Spangler. "I could see it on his face, voice, the other day."
Both Blount County deputies are out of the hospital and recovering at home with their families.
Blue Line Tennessee, a nonprofit, also created a GoFundMe on behalf of both deputies to help with their recovery.