an incident occurred in the driveway entrance of Krisle Elementary school around
Smokey Barn News
Friday, April 17, 2015
Springfield, Robertson County, Middle Tenn
Officer Involved Shooting At Krisle Elementary (HD VIDEO)
No children or faculty were harmed in an incident that took place around 1:30 Friday afternoon at the entrance of the Krisle Elementary school parking lot (Map Location) according to the Sheriff’s Dept press liaison Ryan Martin. The school itself was not breached in anyway, however, the school is currently on temporary lock down as a precaution.
Off duty Springfield Police officer Bryan Harrison attempted to stop a suspected drunk driver on Hwy 49 East. They came to a rest near the entrance of the parking lot of Krisle Elementary school. The officer called for assistance from an RC Sheriff’s dept deputy on duty. The County officer responded to assist Harrison. The driver, Christopher Lee Thomas, 38, of Thomas Westmoreland, TN, became aggressive, displayed a knife, at which point the deputy sheriff, Justin Morris, deployed his taser which had no affect. According to police Thomas then made an aggressive maneuver with the knife toward officer Harrison who then fired one round at Thomas. Thomas was transported to skyline Medical Center.
“When the incident happened, we followed our procedure immediately and the school was placed on lock down, parents were notified and at no time were any of ours students in any kind of danger. Thankfully, dismissal time was not delayed by very much time, ” according to the Robertson County School’s communications coordinator Jim Bellis.
A neighbor tells Smokey Barn News that after the shooting, he looked out his window to see two officers standing over the suspect lying on the ground. The officers turned him over and the suspect was conscious and talking with the officers before he was transported to Skyline.
Bryan Harrison has been with the Springfield Police department for two years and four months and has never been involved in a shooting. Procedure will have Harrison on administrative leave for at least a few days. Harrison will also be required to undergo a “critical incident stress debriefing,” according to Springfield Police Chief David Thompson. The debriefing will be led by a professional counselor trained to help law enforcement officers cope with traumatic events.
The Robertson County Sheriff’s Dept, Cross Plains Police and Springfield Police were on the scene, however the investigation has been handed over the the T.B.I.
According to Springfield Police Chief David Thompson on Saturday, Thomas was expected to survive.
According to the Public Information Officer for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, “Charges of aggravated assault are pending against Thomas related to the incident.”
See Smokey’s HD video here report HERE..
We will bring you more details on the incident as they become available.
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Ole Officer Harrison suuuure used to throw down some shots of Tequila. Hope he never shoots himself!
I would like to thank the officer for getting the vehicle stopped I do not believe he should have followed until a RCSO unit arrived if he had of and the driver hit another vehicle and killed several people then he would have to live with it for the rest of his life as it stands now he has to live with shooting someone ! My wife ,daughter and grand-children are in that very area several times a week and I pray for their safety daily I will also be praying for the officers that were involved and also for the person that was shot to get the help that he obviously needs
The officer was right to act. It is their duty to protect and serve in and out of uniform. Just as its my job to stop someone doing the wrong thing as a Solider, in and out of the country. Just as its our job as everyday American citizens. If you want better streets, do something about it.
Let us leave a drunk driver on the road longer in a school zone because being a hero and doing the right thing takes a backseat to ‘its not his job’. Good for him for protecting springfield. Maybe it will send a message to the other idiots trying to get away with crime come hell or high water, they protect us. It is ludicrous to think he should have been fired. I’m so sick of this police brutality mentality the media puts on ignorant people. Yes, those situations happen, but this was a right place, right time for this cop and he should be commended. Get off your high horse and be happy some one was stopped before their actions hurt others and themselves. I’m thankful to this cop for everyone with a child in that school, the staff working that day, and the family of the man with the knife because he is still alive and has opportunity to be helped. I hope if you ever do a good samaritan deed, you are not judged so harshly.
That’s what he was doing until the suspect pulled over. At that point, it was Officer Harrisson duty to prevent him from getting back in the vehicle and driving drunk. Officer Harris got out, identified himself as a police officer and told the suspect why he was following him, at which time the suspect became aggresive and advanced the officer with the knife. …… Think about it, if he had let him continue driving and the suspect had got and killed someone, maybe one of your friends or family members, that would have been a worse case senerio and would have been horrible. An officer has a duty to act anytime ones life is at risk and not just his own but yours too, and it doesn’t matter where he is. If he had let him go and someone would have gotten killed because of his erratic driving, and you knew that an officer let him go, off duty or not, you would have had a huge problem with that too, especially if it were one of your friends or loved ones. This situation was caused by the actions of the suspect and the officer did exactly what he was suppose to do, what he was trained to do, and HE has to struggle with that for the rest of his life….even though he did exactly what he had to, was suppose to, trained to and needed to do to save his life and possibly many others. So long after you get your kicks off by attacking someone via this site about something you have no clue about, and long after you have forgotten about it, Officer Harrison will still remember, still struggle and will still need your prayers, because that’s what grateful law abiding decent human beings do….. Who will you be?
God bless Officer Harrison and anyone else that is impacted by this and I hope that the suspect takes his second chance at life and uses it to the fullest and turns it around.
Officers are sworn to uphold the law in the state of Tennessee. Harrison followed all procedures and should be commended not fired. He got another drunk driver off the safely. He kept that man from killing anyone and he didn’t kill the suspect only wounded him to protect his own life
The guy was under the influence and pulled a knife! The officer should be given a award for going the extra mile to PROTECT the citizens of Robertson County. I bet you would change your view if the subject hit your family head head on and killed them in a head on collision. Thank you officer Harrison for your dedicated service to serve and PROTECT. Job well done!!!!
I am sure that the officer hates that it happened any decent person would hate to be in his situation ! And anybody that says he should have just followed him and called the county is wrong !! I am glad that he got him stopped and possibly prevented an accident !! What was he supposed to do follow him and witness him hit someone head-on and possibly kill someone and then he would have to live with it for the rest of his life …..
TO SPRINGFIELD CITIZEN. YOU SAY HE SHOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED THE MAN. I AM GLAD HE DID. I DO NOT WANT TO MEET A DUI DRIVER ON THAT ROAD OR ANY OTHER ROAD. WHEN STOPPED, THE MAN SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN HIS VEHICLE. HE GOT OUT AND PULLED A KNIFE ON THE OFFICER. GUESS YOU WOULD HAVE ENGAGED HIM IN DIALOGUE.
I am thankful for Officer Harrison. Had he not stopped this individual, someone could have been fatally injured or killed by their negligent driving. I am proud to know that we have officers who are always on the lookout for our safety, on duty or not. I pray that both parties heal physically and emotionally from this situation.
I glade he stopped him drunk driving is a serious situation on the two lane road someone could have been killed clearly he was very drunk and dangerous the officer did his duty well.
And one other thing. Do you actually think police/deputies sit around waiting for the chance to kill someone? Because with all the anti police news out there it sure seems like it. Kind of like the continual portrayal of a cop being beaten to death by a man larger than an NFL football player constantly being referred to as a white cop killing an unarmed black man. Why don’t you all recognize the danger of the job we perform and wait until the facts are all reported. The cop in Ferguson was cleared by the city, state and the dept. of Justice, who by the way wanted nothing more than to find even the slightest mistake by that cop and couldn’t. Stop being brainwashed by sensationalistic journalism. Lawyers “practice” law, Doctors “practice” medicine. Cops don’t get to practice. Think about that.
Dear Springfield citizen,
Maybe at your job, if you have one, when you’re off the clock, you’re actually off the clock. Police are never actually ” off duty”. Every department I worked for required you to carry your gun and badge “off duty” for incidents just like this. He stopped a drunk driver near a school. How would you feel if he did nothing but call in vehicle make, model, color, and tag. And went on his merry way only to find out a cruiser was too far away to intercept before he ran a child over. But thanks for the sound advice. And where again is it you practice law?. Attempted stop: check gave verbal commands: check deployed teaser when confronted with deadly weapon: check teaser had no effect and aggressive move was made, suspect shot: check one or more lives saved: check. Unless it turns out it didn’t happen exactly like this hero said than Damn good job Officer. But I bet you wanted him to let this drunk driver continue committing a crime with potential deadly consequences because technically he was “off duty” right? Also to this officer, as one who was in a deadly critical incident myself, be strong and accept any and all counseling offer by your department. We’re all strong, that’s why we do what we do, but these things stick with you if you don’t deal with them. Blue lives matter, opinions of morons don’t. Also, concerned citizen, the article states a Robertson County Sheriff was there and deployed his taser. So his hand had a taser in it and when the suspect laughed it off and went for the Officers, it was at that point the Officer made the split second decision to save lives and fire at the suspect. Concerned citizen you are just another cop hating fool.
Yes the man should have been arrested. But the OFF DUTY Springfield officer should be fired all he should have done was contact the county sheriff’s dept. He had no business trying to stop the man. first off the article says he was off duty & secondly Krisle is not in the City of Springfield so he was not in his jurisdiction. This was a county matter at most he should have notified the county & keep track of the vehicle till the proper authorities arrived.