WALKER COUNTY, GA- On Sunday October 18th, East Ridge police Cpl. Terry Prescott attempted to conduct a routine traffic stop on a red Dodge Challenger around 1:50 p.m..
Before Officer Prescott was able to get out of the patrol car, the driver exited his vehicle and began firing several shots at the Prescott’s car. The man then hopped back into his vehicle and sped away.
Officer Prescott was rushed to the nearby hospital, and is said to be in stable condition.
A manhunt ensued and it was discovered that the suspect, later identified as Christopher J. Kitts, fled to Georgia.
Police state that they were able to identify Kitts thanks to video footage captured from the incident and his vehicle registration.
According to FoxNews, WTVC reporter Stephanie LaChance tweeted out various updates on social media as the case unfolded, with information being provided by local law enforcement.
She Tweeted on Sunday afternoon:
“East Ridge Police Chief Stan Allen confirms an officer was shot at traffic stop off of Ringgold Road,”
She continued:
“What we know at this time: The officer is in stable conditions at Erlanger Hospital. The suspect is NOT in custody and drove off after firing at the officer.”
#BREAKING East Ridge Police Chief Stan Allen confirms an officer was shot at a traffic stop off of Ringgold Road.
What we know at this time:
The officer is in stable conditions at Erlanger Hospital.
The suspect is NOT in custody and drove off after firing at the officer.
— Stephanie LaChance (@StephLaChanceTV) October 18, 2020
Georgia State Patrol reported finding the challenger in Rossville, which is in Walker County, Georgia.
LaChance followed up with another Twitter update saying:
“UPDATE: Georgia State Patrol found the suspect’s car located off of Paige Road in Rossville,”
She continued:
“Chief Stan Allen says the suspect had fled on foot before they found his car. The vehicle registration is under as Christopher Kitts and he’s considered armed and dangerous.”
UPDATE: Georgia State Patrol found the suspects car located off of Paige Road in Rossville. Chief Stan Allen says the suspect had fled on foot before they found his car.
The vehicle registration is under as Christopher Kitts and he’s considered armed and dangerous.— Stephanie LaChance (@StephLaChanceTV) October 18, 2020
East Ridge Police Department has now reported that the search for Kitts has ended. According to police, they came upon Kitts in a wooded area, where they identified themselves, and advised Kitts to put down his weapon. Police say that Kitts did not comply, but instead reached for his firearm. Police were forced to shoot, and Kitts was shot and killed by officers Monday morning, October 19th, KSB-TV 2 reported.
Kristpher John Kitt suspect in shooting an East Ridge, Tennessee Police officer. pic.twitter.com/bnOR6LG1eS
— Police Unity Tour (@TeamEastTn) October 19, 2020
The East Ridge Police Department said in a statement:
“The East Ridge Police Department is thankful for the assistance of the local, state, and federal officers as well as the outpouring of support from the community. Please keep Corporal Prescott and his family in your thoughts and prayers as they recover from this incident,”
Here is a similar story Law Enforcement Today brought you in June about another Tennessee officer being shot, and the suspect killed.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, TN – An officer-involved shooting is currently being investigated by both the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, after a reported standoff resulted in a deputy being shot and a suspect dead.
Suspect dead after standoff, deputy shot in officer-involved shooting in Cumberland County https://t.co/zRq23dIp8q
Thoughts and prayers for the recover of Deputy Tudor
— Randy Sutton (@LtRandySutton) June 28, 2020
Preliminary details on the investigation have noted that the incident took place at approximately 7:07 p.m. on the evening of June 27th. A Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputy was said to have responded to a suspicious person call around the block of Chestnut Hill Road.
The deputy, who was identified as Deputy Tim Tutor, was said to have witnessed what was described as erratic driving by a suspect later identified as Mark Eberly. Deputy Tutor then initiated a traffic stop, and while the deputy was approaching the driver’s side window, he was reportedly shot by Eberly.
Mark Eberly – CCSO
According to the TBI, Deputy Tutor returned fire at Eberly while the suspect was said to have fled from the scene. The deputy was said to have sustained a gunshot wound to the upper-right side of his body, and was subsequently airlifted to UT Medical Center for treatment.
Officials from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office stated that authorities had caught up with the suspect’s vehicle roughly a mile up the road from where the initial interaction took place. Eberly reportedly barricaded himself inside of his vehicle, and negotiators and SWAT were called out to the scene to assist.
Law enforcement and crisis negotiators on the scene were said to have made several attempts to try to talk down Eberly, but said attempts were unsuccessful. According to officials, SWAT were said to have deployed a chemical weapon and approached the vehicle.
When deputies on the scene then approached Eberly’s vehicle, he was found dead inside. The TBI stated that an autopsy will be conducted to determine the suspect’s cause of death.
In a press conference that was held after the incident, Cumberland County Sheriff Casey Cox noted that law enforcement had have previous interactions with Eberly before, stating that he was previously arrested on June 19th for driving on a suspended license and resisting arrest.
As for Deputy Tutor, officials say that the deputy is expected to make a full recovery from the injuries sustained.
UPDATE: Cumberland County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Tutor is expected to make a full recovery after reportedly exchanging gunfire with 57-year-old Mark Alan Eberly.https://t.co/VHB4uBMh3g
— wvlt (@wvlt) June 28, 2020
There seems to be more incidents cropping up all around the country that involve officers being attacked.
On June 25th in Plano, Texas, an officer responded to a collision around 7:00 a.m. at the intersection of Legacy Drive and International Parkway.
As the officer approached one of the involved vehicles, the driver allegedly got out of the car, ran over to the other vehicle, and stabbed the driver multiple times.
The officer moved towards her, at which point the female suspect reportedly turned and stabbed the officer once in the left arm.
The woman was said to have then ran around towards the passenger side of the vehicle, presumably to get into the car.
According to reports, the officer then fired multiple times to stop the attack.
Plano officer fatally shoots woman who stabbed him, another driver after a crash, police say https://t.co/9CGJHZ29iO
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) June 25, 2020
Police were said to have confirmed what happened with body camera footage and witness statements corroborated the alleged chain of events as well. The suspect in this case was said to have been driving a stolen car.
Police are looking into whether or not road rage was a factor in the violent altercation.
Plano Police Department Spokesman David Tilley said:
“Did these individuals know each other or was this just a, somebody got upset because of traffic crash and then just kind of twisted off a little bit? We really don’t know yet.”
The shooting is being investigated by the police department, along with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office.
This morning a @PlanoPoliceDept officer was was forced to defend himself from an assailant after being stabbed, protecting another stabbing victim. TMPA attorney Robert Lee Rogers & representative Tony Rike were on scene to assist the officer https://t.co/zEPXyl8Ofv
— TMPA (@TMPALegislative) June 25, 2020
Both of the stabbing victims- the driver and the officer- were taken to the hospital for treatment. The suspect was also taken to the hospital, but she reportedly did not survive. The officer and the other driver were hospitalized with wounds but they are both expected to recover fully.
At this point of the investigation, the suspect has not been identified and the names of those involved have not been released either.
All that was noted of the officer involved in the incident was that he was with the department for 30 years and has been placed on paid administrative leave, per department protocol, while the shooting is investigated.
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