Tennessee Deputy Shot and Killed at Traffic Stop, Suspect at Large

At some point during the encounter, the suspect produced a gun and fired shots, striking both deputies. One was fatally wounded; the other was shot in the leg and returned fire.

February 9, 2024

Blount County (Tennessee) Sheriff's Deputy Greg McCowan was shot and killed during a traffic stop Thursday night.Blount County (Tennessee) Sheriff's Deputy Greg McCowan was shot and killed during a traffic stop Thursday night.Blount County SO

A Blount County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed and another deputy was wounded Thursday night during a traffic stop in Maryville.

Deputy Greg McCowan and Deputy Shelby Eggers stopped an SUV reportedly driven by Kenneth Wayne DeHart at 8:30 p.m. According to a release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said. The driver, identified as DeHart, would not cooperate and refused to get out of the vehicle. A Taser was deployed with no effect, the release said.

At some point during the encounter, DeHart produced a gun and fired shots, striking both deputies. McCowan was fatally wounded; Eggers was shot in the leg and returned fire, Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong said in an early-morning press conference Feb. 9.

McCowan died at a local hospital. Eggers was treated and released, Knox News reports.

DeHart, 42, is now the subject of a manhunt and a statewide Blue Alert. About $80,000 in reward money has been offered for information leading to his arrest.

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