Sheriff: Tennessee deputy, suspect shot after alleged armed robbery in Watauga County leads to chase
JOHNSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A deputy with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) and a suspect were shot on Tuesday afternoon after a pursuit, according to the sheriff.
Johnson County Sheriff Clifton Worley said a deputy in his office was in the area on Highway 421 when authorities from Watauga County, North Carolina notified them of an armed robbery at a convenience store in Vilas.
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According to Major Kelly Redmon of the Watauga County Sheriff's Office, the armed robbery occurred at 12:53 p.m. A clerk told responding officers that a man in a black Mitsubishi had robbed the store.
'We had officers saturate the area, and we had let Johnson County and Carter County know, as we usually do when something like this happens,' Redmon told News Channel 11.
Worley said the deputy encountered the suspect vehicle near the state line, and a pursuit followed that exceeded speeds of 100 miles per hour.
According to Worley, authorities up ahead on the highway were able to block the roadway. The suspect then reportedly got out of the vehicle, allowed it to continue forward and started firing at officers near a rock quarry.
'At which time our officers returned fire,' Worley said. 'We had one officer struck, and the suspect was struck. One was airlifted to the hospital. The other was transported by ground. As far as I know, our officer, he's OK, and he'll be fine.'
Worley said that as of Tuesday afternoon, he was not sure what condition the suspect was in. Worley confirmed the suspect was alive at the time of his arrival at the hospital. He clarified in an interview that the suspect was the person flown to the hospital.
The deputy was reportedly getting out of his vehicle when a bullet went through the car door and hit him in the leg.
'Like I said, he's a great officer,' Worley said. 'He'll be back.'
Redmon said he spent time Tuesday afternoon with the deputy and his family while he was at Watauga Medical Center in Boone, N.C., and that the deputy has been released from the hospital.
'Last word I had on the suspect was that he was in surgery, so hopefully he will recover as well,' Worley said.
The suspect was shot in the leg and stomach, according to Worley.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Worley said the sheriff's office was not releasing the suspect's identity. He did confirm the suspect is a North Carolina native and was the only person in the vehicle involved in the pursuit.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) confirmed it was investigating the officer-involved shooting and would provide further updates when they were available.
Worley said information on charges against the suspect will come from North Carolina and the TBI.
'The investigation is ongoing here, and there will be charges filed against this person for the armed robbery of the Quality Plus,' Redmon said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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