SUSPECT SURRENDERS PEACEFULLY AFTER HOURS-LONG STANDOFF AT KNOX COUNTY GAS STATION
On the evening of January 29, 2026, at approximately 10:20 p.m., the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a possibly suicidal male armed with a shotgun at the Weigel’s convenience store on Westland Drive. Deputies quickly secured the immediate area upon arrival and called in specialized units, including the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Unit, to handle the situation.
Negotiators established contact with the individual and worked to de-escalate the incident peacefully. The surrounding area was secured, with no known threat to the general public and no injuries reported at the time. Authorities urged the public to avoid the location and follow law enforcement instructions to allow first responders to operate safely.
The standoff concluded successfully in the early hours of January 30, 2026, around 1:35 a.m., when the Crisis Negotiations Unit persuaded the individual to surrender without incident; he was then transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital for evaluation.
