BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATE (6/12): The Blount County Sheriff's Office provided an update for its two deputies who were shot Tuesday afternoon on Old Knoxville Highway.
BCSO said Deputy Corbin Smith was released from the University of Tennessee Medical Center late Tuesday evening. Deputy Edward Walker should be released from the hospital sometime Wednesday, according to BCSO.
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ORIGINAL
A suspect is in custody following a shooting Tuesday afternoon on Old Knoxville Highway near Jacob Springs Road, according to the Blount County Sheriff's Office.
According to BCSO, deputies responded to 1105 Jacob Springs Blvd for a domestic dispute. After deputies arrived, the suspect was non-compliant which resulted in shots being fired.
According to Blount County Sheriff James Berrong, the deputies lost sight of the suspect, later identified as 59-year-old Ronald Reed Millsaps, in the garage of the home. When Millsaps was next seen, he began to shoot at the deputies.
Berrong also said he estimated Millsaps to have fired around 150-300 rounds, but the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation would be doing their own investigation into the incident to confirm those numbers.
Millsaps had multiple high-powered rifles and handguns in almost every area of the house, Berrong said.
"We had information he had weapons in every area of the house, and window sills and beside the doors," Berrong said. "He was ready for a battle and that’s what he came to us with.”
The deputies then sought cover behind their vehicles and returned fire while Millsaps retreated back into the home, according to Berrong. He also said both wounded deputies placed their own tourniquets.
Berrong said both Deputy Corbin Smith, 25, and Deputy Edward Walker, 28, were shot in the leg and were transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. They are in stable condition. Berrong also noted that one of the officers had a 4-week-old child.
"Deputies were able to rescue Deputy Smith and Deputy Walker while taking gunfire from the suspect,” Berrong said.
Berrong said there was an elderly woman within the home at the time of the shooting who was believed to be a bedridden relative. Berrong also said BCSO had responded to the same home on multiple occasions. There were no other injuries within the home after the incident, Berrong said.
Multiple agencies assisted BCSO at the scene including U.S. Marshals, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Knox County Sheriff's Office, the Knoxville Police Department, the Alcoa Police Department also assisted BCSO. In total, at least 15 agencies came to the aid of the department during the shooting.
When asked how BCSO felt after their deputies were shot, Marian O'Briant, with BCSO, said, "It hits hard, this shouldn't be happening but it is happening."
Berrong said this marks four officers being shot in four months, with one of those being fatal.
Millsaps is currently being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility. Berrong said he will have charges of at least attempted murder on more than one count.
In February 2024, two Blount County deputies were shot after conducting a traffic stop. One of the deputies, Greg McCowan, was killed after being transported to the hospital. The other deputy, Shelby Eggers, was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
TBI is handling the investigation.
This story will be updated when more information is available.
