A 48-year-old woman was brutally assaulted on Thursday inside the leasing office at the Southside Flats Apartments on Fort Stanley Way in south Knoxville, leaving her with severe but non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. Investigators say the attacker hit her multiple times with a tire iron, then slipped away before officers arrived.
In a post on the Knoxville Police Department Facebook page, officials said officers were called to the Southside Flats leasing office at 2727 Fort Stanley Way after the assault was reported. The victim told police the suspect was a Black male with dreadlocks and glasses who left the scene prior to their arrival.
Apartment background
Southside Flats is a 172-unit affordable rental development at 2727 Fort Stanley Way, as listed by the City of Knoxville, and it opened in April 2020. City archives also show Knoxville Police Department officers have responded to serious incidents at the property in prior years, underscoring how tense things can become when violence breaks out on-site.
How to report tips
Anyone with information is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers anonymously at 877-363-8847 or through the group's website or the P3 Tips mobile app. The organization says tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward if their information leads to an arrest, and submission options and reward details are available on the Crime Stoppers site.
Detectives say the victim was struck multiple times with a tire iron and taken to an area hospital with severe but non-life-threatening injuries. The Knoxville Police Department notes the suspect has not been identified, charged or arrested.
Anyone who saw the suspect or has video from around the leasing office on the afternoon of the attack is urged to contact Crime Stoppers or the Knoxville Police Department's non-emergency line so detectives can follow up on leads. The investigation remains active as officials work to piece together exactly what happened inside that office.
