A Tennessee police officer fatally shot a man armed with two knives last month after the individual lunged at a bystander and the officer at a gas station.
The incident happened shortly before 5:30 p.m. April 17 when Knoxville Police Officer Seth Beeler responded to a report of a potentially violent man—later identified as William Charles McBride Jr., 41—was acting erratically at a Fountain City gas station, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. The officer's body camera captured the encounter, and the footage was released Wednesday.
In the footage, Beeler arrived at the scene and began talking with a bystander, who informed Beeler that McBride was armed with at least one knife and was in the station with customers. Gun drawn, Beeler ordered McBride out of the gas station.
McBride lunged at the civilian while brandishing what appeared to be two pocket knives as he exited the building. He then turned his attention to Beeler and charged at the officer, who fired two shots at the suspect.
McBride was struck by the gunfire. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died hours later.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the shooting, and Beeler, a 2022 graduate of the Knoxville police academy, has been put on paid leave.
