On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Knoxville police officers confronted a tense and dangerous situation involving a man armed with an axe.
Just before 1:15 p.m., Knox County 9-1-1 received multiple reports of a man causing a disturbance on Fairview Street.
The individual, later identified as 52-year-old Christopher Arons, was armed with a small axe and allegedly behaving erratically.
Knoxville, TN🚔
•Disturbance call – man w/ an 🪓
•Officers made contact w/ the ax-man (Chris Arons).
•Officers gave commands to “drop” the weapon & he said, “I can’t”.
•Chris approached the officers & they both fired (3x).
Chris survived • Charged w/ Ag. Assault pic.twitter.com/lJER4CkieF
— police.law.news (@policelawnews) November 23, 2024
The Confrontation
Knoxville Police Officers Eric Smith and Alexandra Burns arrived minutes after the 9-1-1 calls. Officer Smith encountered Arons while walking down Fairview Street.
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With the axe still in Arons’ hand, Officer Smith raised his firearm and repeatedly commanded him to drop the weapon. Arons refused, responding, “I can’t” several times, and began walking toward Officer Smith.
As the situation escalated, both Officer Smith and Officer Burns discharged their weapons, firing three shots in total when Arons continued advancing with the axe.
Aftermath and Medical Assistance
After the shots were fired, officers immediately rendered medical aid to Arons until emergency personnel arrived.
Arons was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he is expected to recover from his injuries.
Charges Filed
Following the incident, Arons was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of vandalism.
A Reminder of the Risks Law Enforcement Face
This incident underscores the challenges officers face in high-pressure situations where public safety is at risk. Thankfully, no officers or bystanders were harmed during the confrontation.
Knoxville Police Department’s quick response and adherence to protocol prevented the situation from escalating further. The case remains under investigation, and no additional details have been released at this time.
Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available about this case.
[H/T: Police Activity]
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