The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place while authorities said they were serving eviction papers outside a Gallatin home Wednesday morning.
Laronda Sweatt, 40, was shot and killed by a Gallatin Police Department officer at a home in the 200 block of Chaffin Court just off Airport Road after an altercation in which she injured a Sumner County sheriff’s deputy shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday, said TBI spokeswoman Susan Niland.
Gallatin Police Chief Don Bandy identified the officer who fired the shots as James Spray, 45. Bandy described him as a “veteran officer” who came to the department three to four years ago after working for other law enforcement agencies, including Metro Nashville’s Parks Department.
A preliminary investigation revealed that before the shooting, Sumner County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Gary Pickard accompanied several members of the local housing authority to the home to serve an eviction notice when they encountered Sweatt.
At some point Sweatt became combative with Pickard and injured him, according to Niland. Sweatt was wielding an ax, according to a news release issued by Gallatin Police. The deputy then ran back to his patrol vehicle and called for backup.
Three Gallatin Police Department officers arrived and were confronted by Sweatt, who was still in possession of the ax, the release said.
“As (Sweatt) continued advancing and making aggressive movement with the ax toward our officer, Officer Spray fired two shots, striking Sweatt both times,” the release said. (continue reading at Tennessean)