Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen said in a news conference yesterday a police officer acted in self-defense when he shot a teenager inside of a restroom at Austin-East last week. Allen also released the body camera footage of the incident and reviews it with the members of the press.

Allen said there will be no charges filed against any officer involved.

Allen said she believed Knoxville Police Officer Jonathan Clabough was defending himself in the shooting of Anthony Thompson, Jr. back on April 12, 2021. Reports state Clabough fired the fatal shot that struck Thompson.

“It is reasonable for him to believe Officer Baldwin was injured and reasonable that he and the other officers in the room were in danger and the potential for him to be shot as well,” Allen said.

In a statement given, Clabough said he saw Thompson shoot at Officer Brian Baldwin. He said he shot at Thompson when he saw the teen point the gun toward Lt. Stanley Cash.

Officer Adam Willson, the school resource officer assigned to Austin-East High School, was shot by Clabough.

Clabough was the only officer to open fire in the restroom.

Allen said it took 4-1/2 minutes for the school nurse to arrive in the restroom to start rendering aid.

An autopsy revealed the bullet hit Thompson in the upper left side of his body, went through both lungs and through the bottom of his heart. According to Allen, the medical examiner said there was nothing anyone could have done to keep him alive.

Allen gave a timeline during a press conference of the events leading up to the fatal shooting that day:

12:30 p.m.

A domestic incident occurs between Thompson and his girlfriend at the school.

12:48 p.m.

A second domestic altercation takes place between the teenagers. Thompson’s girlfriend goes home for the day and informs her mother of what happened.

1:16 p.m.

The girlfriend’s mother, Regina Perkins, sends a text message to Thompson notifying him that she had called the police.

1:18 – 1:59 p.m.

Security camera footage from Austin-East shows Thompson walking, then running around the hallways of the school. He then stops and sits in a staircase inside the school.

1:59 p.m.

Perkins speaks with 911 dispatch reporting the domestic incident involving her daughter and Thompson.

2:11 p.m.

KPD Officer Jonathon Clabough responds to the residence and speaks with Perkins and her daughter (Thompson’s girlfriend). She tells Officer Clabough that she is scared and Thompson has threatened her. “He’s going to jail or he’ll have warrants,” Clabough tells her. He then contacts SRO Willson, who is at Austin-East.

2:16 p.m.

Back at the school, Thompson enters the bathroom at the school. He does not re-emerge.

2:23 p.m.

Thompson receives a text message from his girlfriend that police were at her house. She sends him a photo of the KPD cruiser and Officer Clabough walking away.

2:51 p.m.

Thompson receives a text message from another student that police were in the school and walking down the hall and to be on the lookout.

2:53 – 2:54 p.m.

Officer Clabough arrives to the school and speaks with SRO Officer Adam Willson, Officer Brian Baldwin and Lt. Cash outside of the school. The officers then all enter the school building.

2:55 – 2:58 p.m.

The four officers begin searching bathrooms in the school after learning Thompson was in a bathroom.

2:59 p.m.

The officers enter Officer Willson’s SRO office, where they speak about Thompson. They learn Thompson usually hangs out in a particular bathroom.

3:11 p.m.

The officers go to the bathroom that Thompson had entered nearly an hour prior and enter. They find Thompson sitting in a bathroom stall. They ask him to stand. He does and exits the stall. The officers place their hands on him, Thomoson turns.

3:12 p.m.

A shot is fired from Thompson. The firearm drops to the floor of the stall in the scuffle. Officer Clabough fires two shots. One bullet hits Officer Willson. One bullet hits Thompson. Both Officer Willson and Thompson go down to the floor.

3:16 p.m.

The school nurse arrives to the bathroom and starts to work on resuscitating Thompson. Thompson dies from the gunshot. Officer Willson is taken to U.T. Medical Center.

End of timeline explained.

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon released a statement yesterday, saying that while she is relieved the video has been released to the public, this was still a tragic incident and Thompson’s death was heartbreaking.

“Let us wrap our arms around our young people in Knoxville — lift up their voices and work together to keep them safe,” said Mayor Kincannon.

Anthony Thompson Jr.’s family reacted to the release of the video yesterday. They said they are heartbroken and frustrated. They disagree with Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen’s statements the shooting was justified and they are planning to fight for justice.

The video of the body camera can be seen by clicking on the following link (This video contains GRAPHIC CONTENT) – Video by WBIR: