I was contacted initially by 13th District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway when he notified me via phone that a suspect involved in the Livingston shootings was headed east on I-40 into Roane County.

I was then in contact with RCSO, Chief Deputy Tim Phillips, THP and TBI throughout the morning and the rest of the day.

I know that THP was actively involved with other law-enforcement agencies in pursuing the suspect who at some point came to a stop in the eastbound lanes of I-40 in Roane County between the airport Road exit and the Harriman/Rockwood exit.

RCSO and Loudon County sheriffs’ offices both responded with SWAT teams to back up THP. The westbound lanes of traffic had to be stopped as a precaution. Obviously, eastbound lanes were stopped behind the scene as well.

It is my understanding that a significant multi-vehicle crash happened in the eastbound lanes some distance back from where the suspect stopped.

After the suspect vehicle stopped, and there was no longer activity from the driver, THP suspected, and RCSO drone footage confirmed, that the suspect was deceased.

I know from speaking with the TBI agents that I predicated to investigate the Roane County aspect of the situation (because of law-enforcement being in pursuit), that they found a shotgun in the front passenger floorboard side of the vehicle and that it appeared the suspect had used the shotgun to shoot himself in the head.

General Dunaway and I worked closely with both THP and TBI. He had already predicated TBI to investigate the multiple victim shooting at the location in Livingston, which is in his district. As I mentioned, I predicated TBI to investigate the scene in Roane County, where the suspect was deceased.

THP was requested to bring their critical incident response team to the scene to perform “mapping“ of the scene and to assist TBI with the collection of evidence. THP Lieutenant Eric Miller indicated that they would provide all in car camera footage, body camera footage, etc. to TBI for review.

Roane County medical examiner Dr. Tom Boduch was contacted and he ordered an autopsy of the deceased subject, which autopsy will likely be performed on Saturday.