Bounty Hunters encounter explosives in Morgan County
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Bounty Hunters encounter explosives in Morgan County
By Shane Gilreath
A Roane County man is in custody after two bounty hunters found what was initially described as “potentially explosive devices” in his home. Those devices, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), were a military rocket launcher, improvised explosives and other weapons which were located when bounty hunters came to his residence. The man, identified as 48-year-old Tommy James Cooper, came to the attention of law enforcement when a call was received regarding a potential domestic violence situation in Morgan County.
“Law-enforcement came to the scene as a result of a call from a female about a domestic situation as bounty hunters, looking for Cooper, arrived on the scene and entered his residence and finding what appeared to be potentially explosive devices or weapons,” said Attorney General Russell Johnson, who requested that TBI respond to the scene alongside the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office. TBI called in the Knox County Sheriff’s Office’s bomb squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
“Authorities worked to secure the perimeter of the property and encountered Cooper, who briefly led law enforcement officers on a foot chase through a densely wooded area,” read a news release from TBI. “Eventually, Cooper emerged, and authorities took him into custody.”
The bounty hunters had originally sought Copper following his failure to appear to court, when they encountered the ordeal at 178 Forest Road in Harriman.
The Knox County Hazardous Device Unit found that the rocket launcher was nonfunctional and classified additional explosives as hoax devices. Cooper was charged with four counts of prohibited weapons charges.