What started as a routine crime scene investigation on a Knoxville street late Sunday turned into a frightening ambush when a police crime scene technician was shot while working an active scene, authorities said.
Knoxville police said forensic staff was processing evidence from an earlier shooting on Jones Street around 11 p.m. when gunfire erupted from a nearby wooded area. One crime scene technician was hit, taken to a hospital, and is expected to recover, according to WVLT.
Police had initially responded to Jones Street for a reported shooting that appeared to have no victims on the scene. While detectives and forensic personnel searched for shell casings and other clues, someone began firing at them from the tree line, striking the technician, Knoxville Police told the station.
Scene Safety And Risks For Investigators
The incident underscores how dangerous even "after the fact" police work can be when a scene is not fully secure. Crime scene protocols emphasize that no one should start collecting evidence until officers are confident the area is safe.
Guidance from the National Institute of Justice urges investigators to establish scene safety, set firm perimeters, and coordinate closely with incident command before moving in on a crime scene. That includes checking nearby structures and surrounding terrain that could conceal additional threats.
Suspect And Charges
Officers searching the wooded area near Jones Street eventually found 35-year-old Joey Rudd hiding among the trees, police said. According to WVLT, Rudd surrendered to officers and was taken into custody without further incident.
Authorities booked him on four counts of attempted first-degree murder and four counts of employing a firearm during the commission of a felony.
What’s Next
The Knoxville Police Department said the investigation remains active and has not released any information about a possible motive or whether the shooting of the technician is tied to the original Jones Street gunfire.
Local prosecutors will review the charging documents as the case moves forward, and authorities urged anyone with additional information to contact investigators.
