TBI investigates shooting with district attorney

SMITHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has been called to investigate a shooting in Smithville Thursday night involving a Middle Tennessee District Attorney, according to a spokesman.

The spokesman said DeKalb County District Attorney Bryant Dunaway asked the TBI for help investigating a shooting on Bell Street Thursday afternoon. The TBI confirmed that the District Attorney for Warren and Van Buren counties, Chris Stanford, was involved in the shooting.

A media release from Dunaway’s office clarified that the TBI was called because “the incident involved a report” that Stanford had fired shots while trying to arrest a man named Caleb Brookins on outstanding warrants from Warren County. Dunaway added that Brookins was later taken into custody on those warrants and transported to Warren County.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Brookins was charged with three counts of criminal homicide. As of publication, he is being held without bond in the Warren County Jail.

No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting, the spokesman added, although the investigation remains active and ongoing.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) had sent an alert to some residents Thursday, asking residents to be on the lookout for an “armed and dangerous” suspect wanted for “multiple shootings” in the Bell Street area.

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Sheriff Ray added that the incident unfolded after deputies received information that Brookins — an alleged triple homicide suspect — was heading toward the Bell Street Apartments in Smithville. As police waited for him to arrive, they allegedly saw him in the passenger seat of the vehicle, which was driven by a woman later identified as 21-year-old Hannah Rose of Antioch.

Deputies set up a perimeter, but Rose rammed his vehicle into a truck operated by the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office added that two DCSO employees who were in the truck were not injured, but Rose struck a Homeland Security officer, injuring his leg.

According to DCSO, that’s when Stanford fired shots at Rose’s vehicle. But neither the vehicle, Rose nor Brookins were hit by the gunfire, officials said.

On Friday, Nov. 22, Stanford released a statement about the incident, which read in part: “Immediately after seeing a Homeland Security Agent hit by a vehicle, the vehicle then drove toward me and others and accelerated rapidly. I fired my service weapon in self-defense and others on the scene. Based on my training and the circumstances that emerged, I believe my actions were necessary and justified.”

Smithville Mayor Josh Miller too posted to Facebook that authorities were searching for a “very dangerous” person. Shortly thereafter, Miller added that the person had been caughtthanks the law enforcement agencies that were involved in the search.

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In the same release, Dunaway stated that DeKalb County deputies also obtained arrest warrants and charged Rose with aggravated assault and felony evading arrest. These warrants were issued “for striking a police officer with her car while attempting to flee,” based on facts known at this stage of the investigation. Rose was transported to the DeKalb County Jail.

Warren County Sheriff’s Office posted to Facebook that they had reason to believe that the suspect wanted in connection with one manslaughter it was in DeKalb County. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Rose and Brookins were arrested in connection with the murder.

News 2 has reached out to the TBI for more information.

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