A Knox County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputy who was shot in the line of duty Sunday night has died, according to the office.
“Officer Blakely is a hero. He lived as a hero, he died as a hero,” Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler said late Monday night. “Keep Tucker’s family in your thoughts.”
KSCO posted a tribute to Deputy Tucker Blakely (pictured above), simply reading “Thank you Officer Blakely.
A graphic with Blakely’s image was overlaid with a bible verse: Matthew 25:21.
“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master,” that verse says.
Blakely reportedly graduated from the Knox County Regional Training Academy in 2021 and was accepted as a candidate for KCSO’s K-9 course.
“It is unfortunate that Officer Blakely will never be able to live out that dream,” the sheriff’s office said. “The life of a servant taken far too soon.”
“We are in the very early stages of answering a lot of questions and most importantly, caring for the Blakely Family and our Knox County Sheriff’s Office Family,” according to KCSO. “That will remain our focus in the many days to come.”
Blakely is survived by a wife and a five-year-old son.
Blakely and his partner, who remains unidentified, were called to a domestic disturbance Sunday night.
When they arrived on the scene, gunfire was exchanged, and Blakely was shot.
The perpetrator, who has now been identified as 30-year-old Matthew Logan Rose, was killed by police at the scene before Blakely was rushed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
“He needs prayers, his family needs prayers and our blue family as well,” Knox County Sheriff’s Office Communications Director Kimberly Glenn reportedly said Sunday night, adding that the deputy was “fighting for his life.”
“[Domestic calls are] one of the most dangerous calls that an officer will ever answer in their career,” Glenn said. “Tonight’s a prime example of that. You never know what to expect, when you go to a call.”
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said Monday that it is investigating the events that led up to the shooting.
TBI said that “[f]or reasons still under investigation, the situation escalated and shots were fired by both the individual and at least one of the deputies.”
“TBI agents continue to work to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews,” the agency said. “Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for her review and consideration.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on X / Twitter.
Photo “Knox County Sheriff Cars” by Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
