KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — UPDATE:
The Knoxville Police Department has identified the officers involved in the North Knoxville shooting as Officers Alexandra Burns and Eric Smith, who have served with the department since 2020. Burns and Smith are currently assigned to the Field Operations East District.
KPD says both officers have been placed on routine administrative leave per standard protocol.
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The Knoxville Police Department said an officer shot a man in North Knoxville on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he was identified as Christopher Arons, 52, from Knoxville. He was in "critical but stable condition," the police department said.
The shooting happened in the 2600 block of Fairview Street around 1:15 p.m. as officers were initially responding to a domestic situation involving a violent and "belligerent" man armed with an ax, according to KPD. Police said the man was reportedly drunk at the time.
The police department said officers shot Arons around 1:20 p.m. after encountering him and asking him to drop the ax. The man was shot at least once and transported to a hospital. Police said he was alert and conscious after the shooting.
"After shots were fired, officers requested an ambulance and provided medical assistance. The man was transported from the scene to the UT Medical Center, where he remains hospitalized in critical condition," KPD said. "No officers were injured in the incident."
Neighbors who allegedly watched the incident unfold said they saw a man yelling and beating a car with a "hatchet." KPD confirmed these events did happen.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will investigate the shooting, according to KPD, and the police department will conduct its own administrative investigation. Police said they will release body camera video of the incident in the coming weeks.
The police department also said Arons already had two outstanding warrants out of Knox County, including for a probation violation. He was also charged with two counts of aggravated assault against the responding officers, as well as two counts of vandalism for damaging vehicles before officers arrived, according to KPD.