Sheriff: Tennessee deputy fatally shoots man after 'threat'

Associated Press
Updated ·1 min read

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee sheriff's deputy fatally shot a man early Thursday when “confronted with a threat on scene,” officials said.

Bradley County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home in Cleveland where a man was reportedly threatening self-harm, news outlets reported, citing a statement from the agency.

Deputies made contact with Christian Robert Jensen, 54, who was threatening to pull a gun, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. As deputies attempted to negotiate with him, one of them fired at Jensen, striking and killing him, the statement said.

The reason that the deputy fired is being reviewed, according to the bureau, which is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting.

The sheriff's statement said deputies were “confronted with a threat," but it did not describe the type of threat posed.

Authorities provided first aid, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The deputies were placed on routine leave, Sheriff Steve Lawson said.