2 deputies shot, 1 killed in Blount County, Tennessee, $80k reward now offered for suspect

A manhunt continues Saturday for local, state, and federal officials after two deputies were shot − one fatally − late Thursday in Blount County, Tennessee. Shortly thereafter, a Blue Alert was issued statewide for the shooting suspect.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation added Kenneth Wayne DeHart Jr., 41, to the TBI’s Most Wanted list early Friday morning following the shooting that stemmed from a traffic stop. He is also wanted by the Blount County Sheriff's Office

On Friday TBI agents obtained warrants charging DeHart with one count of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of a felon being in possession of a weapon.

During a Friday evening press conference, officials announced that DeHart's brother had been arrested as an accessory after the fact and was being held on a $1 million bond, with a court appearance scheduled for Feb. 12.

An $80,000 is now being offered for information leading to his arrest.

Traffic stop leads to deadly shooting

Just before 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the TBI reported, deputies with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office pulled an SUV over in the city of Maryville on U.S. Route 411.

It was not immediately known why deputies pulled the vehicle over along the two-lane highway about 16 miles south of Knoxville. The shooting scene was about 35 miles north of the Great Smoky Mountains.

During the stop, the driver, identified as DeHart, would not cooperate with deputies and refused to get out of the vehicle," the TBI wrote in a news release.

At some point, one officer deployed a Taser, but it had "no effect," officials wrote in the release.

DeHart then pulled out a gun and fired shots, striking both deputies.

At least one of the deputies returned fire during the melee and, the release continues, DeHart drove away from the scene. It was not immediately known if gunfire struck DeHart.

One deputy was transported to an area hospital, where he later died while the other deputy was taken to a hospital to be treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The deputy who lived, a female, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and is who fired back, Berrong said.

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Deputies shot identified

"This the hardest thing I've ever done," Blount County Sheriff James L. Berrong said through tears during a press conference Thursday night after the shooting.

Berrong, whose held the title of sheriff since 1989, identified the slain deputy as Greg McCowan.

According to a post on the sheriff’s department's Facebook page, McCowan graduated from the police academy in October 2020.

McCowan was an emergency medical responder and recently had been accepted on the Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiations team, Berrong said, adding that McCowan was excited to put his recent certification to use.

The other deputy shot has been identified as Shelby Eggers.

Eggers, 22, began her career at the Blount County Sheriff’s Office in 2019 as a corrections deputy.

She applied for and was accepted into the Sheriff’s Office Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy and graduated in 2022. Eggers currently serves as a patrol deputy.

$80,000 reward being offered in case

By early afternoon Friday, Berrong announced that the reward money being offered is at $80,000 thanks to several pledges from businesses and individuals, including $10,000 from the U.S. Marshals Service, up to $2,500 by TBI and $2,000 by East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers.

Smith & Wesson CEO Mark Smith is offering a $40,000 reward, Berrong added. Eggers sang the National Anthem at the company's grand opening in Maryville last year.

"We are beyond heartbroken by the events of last night in our new hometown community," Smith & Wesson posted on Facebook. "A manhunt is underway, and Smith & Wesson is adding $40,000 to reward money being offered. ... These men and women are the backbone of our community, tirelessly working to ensure our safety and well-being. This is a stark reminder of why we call them heroes, and why they deserve our unwavering support and respect."

The shooting remains under investigation by the TBI who says its investigative findings will be shared with the Blount County District Attorney General for review.

Anyone with information concerning DeHart's whereabouts is asked to call the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND or the Blount County Sheriff's Office at 865-981-7125.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blount County deputies shot: Search for Kenneth DeHart Jr. continues