Tennessee Deputy Shot Twice in the Head
CARTER COUNTY, Tennessee -- A deputy was shot twice in the head Wednesday night and the suspected gunman was arrested early Thursday morning.
Deputy Jenna Markland suffered gunshots wounds to the left side of her forehead and above her mouth after officials say Kelly Pitts opened fire, according to WJHL-TV.
Markland was flown to Johnson City Medical Center for treatment of her wounds and was reported to be alert. Officials said it did not appear that either bullet penetrated her skull.
Deputies had responded to a call about an intoxicated man waving a gun around 8:50 p.m. outside a residence on Dry Hollow Road in the Stoney Creek community when the shooting occurred.
Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford said Pitts fired an estimated 30 to 40 rounds of gunfire at him and his deputies and hit his cruiser and at least three other vehicles.
He said his deputies then returned gunfire and a couple more rounds were fired before the scene went quiet.
Officials said that Kelly Pitts was taken into custody around 3 a.m. about 200 yards from the scene in a cave behind the property. Lunceford said Pitts was found by deputies inside the cave and was taken into custody without incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate the shooting.