TBI says man who drew weapon in Bristol, Tennessee parking lot killed by deputies

A welfare check on an unconscious man in a Dollar General store parking lot Wednesday afternoon in Bristol, Tennessee ends in deadly gunfire.

At the request of 2nd Judicial District Attorney General Barry Staubus, TBI special agents continue to investigate the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that occurred this afternoon in Sullivan County.

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— Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) April 19, 2023

A report from the TBI said Sullivan County officers received a call about the man who was not responsive inside a pickup truck at the location in the 1400 block of Highway 126 just before 1 p.m.

TBI spokesperson Leslie Earhart said the man refused an officer’s command to step out of the vehicle and he pointed a gun at the deputies who then fired two shots.

Earhart noted the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The agency will now process the scene and turn over witness reports and evidence to the Sullivan County District Attorney’s office for evaluation.

(IMAGE: Bristol Broadcasting Archives)