Tennessee Law Enforcement Hunts Fugitive
Nashville, Tennessee — Today multiple federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are tracking a fugitive accused of shooting and killing a Grundy County Sheriff’s Deputy and shooting and injuring a Monteagle Police Officer. The incident occurred during the serving of an arrest warrant for a probation violation at approximately 3:00 a.m. CDT.
Kermit Eugene Bryson, 30, is believed to be on foot in the Monteagle community and is considered armed and dangerous. He is a white male with brown hair and green eyes, 5’ 7”, 135 pounds, with a goatee and tattoos on his arms and legs. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt and white sneakers. Bryson has been added to the TBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted, and a $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest. He is wanted for first degree murder and attempted first degree murder.
Grundy County Sheriff’s Deputy, Shane Tate, 28, was shot and killed at 1111 Monteagle Falls Road, Monteagle, TN. Tate was a three-year employee of the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office and had been on patrol for less than a year. He graduated from the police academy less than a month ago. Also wounded was Monteagle Police officer, Brian Malhoit, 26. He is being treated at Sewanee Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A reserve officer with the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office was also at the scene but was not injured.
A large scale manhunt for Bryson is underway and includes more than 100 officers from more than two dozen agencies, including the FBI, ATF, TBI, THP, DEA and numerous local law enforcement agencies. The manhunt is utilizing two THP helicopters, two K-9 units and numerous two-man teams patrolling the perimeter.
The three officers approached the home on Monteagle Falls Road, where they believed Bryson was sleeping, to serve the warrant and put him under arrest. Details of the actual shooting are still under investigation at this time. The TBI Violent Crime Response Team is processing the scene for evidence.
If anyone has information on Bryson’s whereabouts, they should call 1-800-TBI-FIND or the Grundy County Sherriff’s Office at 931-924-2077.