THREE DEPUTIES PLACED ON LEAVE AFTER FATAL BLOUNT COUNTY OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING
Three Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies have been placed on paid administrative leave while the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probes a fatal September 1 shooting.
Authorities responded to a Creason Drive home after 38-year-old Erika Burch made threats against anyone approaching the residence. Investigators report that Burch advanced toward the three deputies with a knife while continuing to make threats. The deputies fired at her, administered medical aid at the scene, and transported her to Blount Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Following the incident, former Knoxville Police Chief Phil Keith addressed the extreme dangers officers face when confronting suspects armed with knives. Keith explained that knives present severe, unpredictable risks where action consistently outpaces reaction by at least 1.5 seconds.
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The Reality of Knife Attacks: Keith noted that controlling a knife-wielding individual in close quarters is exceptionally difficult and rarely mirrors depictions in movies or television.
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Limitations of Less-Lethal Options: Tasers require close proximity, creating high risks if the deployment fails. Officers also lack the time or window to attempt “shooting to wound” moving targets.
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Standard Protocol: Officers are trained to shoot for the center mass (the chest) to reliably neutralize threats, as adrenaline and altered mental states can allow suspects to continue attacks even after being shot.
The TBI continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, while the three involved deputies navigate the administrative leave and processing standard following a critical incident.
