Early Sunday  morning, Roane County deputies were dispatched to Cove Point Road in Rockwood for an intoxicated woman who had pulled a gun, fired shots and threatened other campers. The arrest report states 31-year-old Tabatha Desirae Brown (a.k.a. Desirae Hawkins) “had walked away with the gun stating that if anyone followed her that she would blow their brains out and that she was going to walk home to Evans Heights.”

Deputies arrived in the area and awaited backup. Meantime, dispatch pinged Brown’s phone several times; it appeared she was moving from Cove Point Road toward Rogers Road.

Deputies spotted Brown approaching from around the intersection of Rodgers Lane and Camp Buck Toms Rd. She was carrying a black bag on her left shoulder and had a dark-colored item in her right hand.

Deputies using the P.A. system on the patrol unit told her to stop and place the items in her hands on the ground. She complied. The item in her right hand turned out to be a cell phone.

Brown, who was taken into custody without incident, had an odor of alcohol about her; her speech was slurred and she was unsteady on her feet.

When asked how much she’d had to drink, she told deputies she’d had “enough.”

Witnesses and victims told deputies Brown had taken the gun without the owner’s knowledge or permission from the bottom of his backpack, which was beneath his hammock, in which he was sleeping at the time of the start of the incident.

The owner said Brown left with the gun, a High Point 9mm, claiming she would put it on another camper’s Jeep, parked at the entrance of the trail.

The owner told deputies he would look for the weapon around the campsite at daybreak and, if he could not find it, he would report the weapon stolen.

Two other campers said the first shot awakened them, after which Brown walked over to their hammock and fired another round close to them.

When one of them got out of the hammock and approached her, Brown pointed the gun at him and threatened to shoot him if he “made another move.” Brown then pointed the gun at the woman and ordered her to get out of the hammock.

Both witnesses said Brown was screaming at them “about friendship and real friends would not let her walk.”

Another witness said she was awakened by the gunfire; she was in a tent and did not see any of the events, but heard Brown threaten to shoot the man in the head. She also said she heard Brown say she would put the gun on the Jeep as she left.

Yet another witness said he heard Brown enter the campsite and saw her take the gun from the backpack and fire the first round. He said he saw her walk to the other witnesses in the hammock and fire the second shot, then threaten the couple. He also confirmed Brown said she would leave the weapon on the jeep; he further stated she said if anyone followed her she “would blow their brains out.”

Deputies found two spent 9mm shell casings near the hammocks. Despite a thorough search of the campsite, no weapon was found. Its holster was in the owner’s backpack.

Brown was charged with public intoxication and two counts of aggravated assault. A theft charge is pending, upon a report being filed by the owner.