May 18th, 2023 - Giles County, Tennessee

Published May 18th, 2023

A Giles County, Tennessee deputy sheriff was shot early Thursday morning. At approximately 12:30 a.m., Giles County deputies were called to a residence for a report of an unwanted guest refusing to leave. On arrival, the deputies could not get anyone to answer the door. At approximately 2:30 a.m., they received a second call from the residence of a reported suicidal person who had fired several shots. When deputies arrived, they were able to escort the individuals at the residence to safety. As they approached the residence, they heard several more gunshots come from inside the residence. A deputy was struck in the chest by one of the shots, but it was stopped by his ballistic-resistant vest. Another deputy’s ballistic-resistant shield was struck twice, but the deputy was uninjured. The Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Tactical Unit was called to assist. After a several hour-long standoff, the individual who fired at the deputies was taken into custody without further incident.

The deputy who was shot in his ballistic-resistant vest was transported to a nearby hospital. According to Giles County Sheriff Kyle Helton, the deputy is expected to make a full recovery, and “the ballistic vest saved his life.”