Tenn. gunman motivated by officer-involved shootings: authorities

by TheHill.com - 07/08/16 3:20 PM ET

A man “troubled” by police-involved shootings of black people opened fire in Bristol, Tenn., leaving one dead and several injured, authorities in Tennessee said Friday.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a release that the suspect “may have targeted individuals and officers after being troubled by recent incidents involving African-Americans and law enforcement officers in other parts of the country.”

{mosads}Investigators spoke with the suspect late Friday morning. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and local authorities also offered their support.

The suspect killed one person and wounded three others, including an officer who sustained a wound to the leg and was released by medical officials.

Authorities say the man, identified as Lakeem Keon Scott, 37, was armed with at least two weapons, including an “automatic-style rifle” and a pistol shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday when shots rang out.

Scott allegedly fired shots through the window of a hotel located on a parkway, striking the clerk. He also allegedly fired “indiscriminately” at several passing vehicles before police confronted him.

He allegedly fired at three responding officers, who returned fire, striking Scott, according to authorities. He was transported to a medical center and was in serious but stable condition.

The shooting came hours before five officers were killed and seven injured Thursday night in a sniper attack in Dallas during a protest against recent police-involved shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota.

– Updated at 3:52 p.m.