Sullivan County Grand Jury Clears Officers Involved in Three 2019 Shootings
A Sullivan County Grand jury has cleared officers of any wrongdoing involving three-officer involved shootings from earlier this year.
The first of three incidents took place on April 17th in Kingsport. Officers with the Kingsport Police Department responded to an alleged domestic dispute, and during the incident, police ordered suspect Andrew Cameron Witt to drop his knife four times, however, Witt charged police with the knife raised before being shot and wounded. The grand jury determined the two officers involved acted in the proper guidelines of the Kingsport Police Department use of force policy. The grand jury has returned true bills on Witt, charging him with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic assault.
The second incident occurred on June 7th at a home in Sullivan County on Crown Circle. Officers with the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department went to the home for an eviction notice to remove Jason Nash. Police attempted to make contact and received no response for a few minutes until his estranged wife came to the door and gave authorities the keys to the home. Officers then made contact, telling Nash he had to leave, which prompted Nash to start a struggle with the officer. Nash pulled a gun, causing an officer to fire his weapon and striking Nash. He was taken to the hospital where he later died of his injuries. An autopsy report showed Nash had multiple drugs in his system, including traces of methamphetamine. The report said the grand jury found the officer involved in the shooting acted in the proper guidelines of the Bristol, TN Police Department’s use of force policy.
The third and final incident occurred on June 10th in Kingsport. Deputies with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office received information on the location of Terry Frost, who had active warrants against him. Upon arrival, authorities observed Frost running from a residence, then entering an SUV driven by a female. Deputies stopped the vehicle, the woman got out of the vehicle on command, and Frost jumped into the drivers seat, accelerating at officers in an attempt to escape. An officer attempted to grab the steering wheel and pull Frost out was dragged along during the struggle. That same officer then fired shots at Frost, and fell from the vehicle, which the back tire ran over his leg. Frost was taken to the hospital where he later died of his injuries. An autopsy report determined Frost had numerous drugs in his system, including traces of methamphetamine. The Sullivan County deputy that shot Frost was cleared by a grand jury, and properly acted in the guidelines of the SCSO’s Use of Force Policy.
