A confrontation took place under Knoxville's Broadway Viaduct, leading to the arrest of a wanted felon on Sunday afternoon. Knoxville Police Department officers were performing routine patrol just before 5 p.m. on Sunday, when they spotted 31-year-old Julius Darden sitting in a lawn chair at an area clearly marked with no trespassing signs.
Upon approaching Darden, officers established that he had an outstanding warrant for felony vandalism, a charge that stems from a June incident on McConnell Street. The encounter escalated when Darden began moving toward his backpack as officers attempted to take him into custody, resulting in a struggle that demanded additional police support to manage the situation, as reported by the Knoxville Police Department.
According to a press release from the Knoxville Police Department, police found a loaded Glock handgun in Darden's backpack during a subsequent search. A records check confirmed that Darden was previously convicted on multiple counts of obtaining drugs by fraud, establishing him as a convicted felon not lawfully permitted to possess a weapon.
While the officers endeavouring to subdue Darden, one officer sustained minor injuries including a possible concussion, which was later ruled out following an evaluation at the UT Medical Center. The arrest brought charges against Darden for his outstanding warrant, along with a weapon by a convicted felon's possession, indecent exposure, resisting arrest, and criminal trespass, as per the Knoxville Police Department.
