A routine traffic stop last night by East District officers of the Knoxville Police Department led to the arrest of two individuals and the seizure of four handguns, two of which were reportedly stolen. According to a social media post from the Knoxville Police Department, the stop occurred after an officer observed a white Nissan Altima failing to halt at a stop sign at Castle Street and Wilson Avenue around 9:30 p.m.
The vehicle was occupied by 18-year-old Gabriel McMeans, the driver; 19-year-old Jylen Bailey, a front-seat passenger; and an unnamed backseat passenger who was wearing a ski mask. While the officers were interacting with the occupants, they noticed dozens of rounds of ammunition in the car, after which a K-9 unit alerted the officers to the potential presence of narcotics, prompting a search of the vehicle.
During their search, officers reportedly uncovered four loaded firearms and a small amount of suspected marijuana. It was later determined through further investigation that two of the discovered firearms had been reported as stolen in the years 2022 and 2024, respectively, as "Great work by East District officers, who seized four handguns, including two that were stolen, after a traffic stop on Monday night," detailed the Knoxville Police Department's post.
Following the discovery, McMeans and Bailey were arrested and face charges including theft of a firearm and unlawful firearms possession. The incident underscores the continual efforts of local law enforcement to address illegal weapons and potentially curtail associated criminal activities in the community. No further details about the backseat passenger or additional charges have been released as of this report.
