Monday, September 25th

From the Tennova Healthcare Cleveland News Desk, here is your news for Monday, September 25th, on Mix 104-1 and Talk 101-3 The Buzz.

Topping our news today, from WRCB and WSMV…

The suspect in the fatal shooting at an Antioch church has been charged with one count of murder in connection with the shooting on Sunday morning, police said. Other charges are pending.

Police said Emanuel Kidega Samson, 25, of La Vergne, TN, shot and killed Melanie Crow Smith, 39, of Smyrna in the parking lot of Burnette Chapel Church of Christ on Pin Hook Road in Antioch as the church dismissed at 11:15 from morning services and then went inside the sanctuary opening fire and shooting six people.

Samson will have his first court appearance on Wednesday morning, according to court records.

Samson, according to police, then entered the sanctuary of the building through the front door. He entered the building with two pistols, both of which was recovered inside the church.

He fired multiple rounds inside the sanctuary and wounded six people.

Robert Caleb Engle, 22, an usher at the church, confronted Samson and engaged him in a struggle, which resulted in Engle being pistol whipped. During the struggle, Samson’s gun discharged, striking him in the left chest.

“Mr. Engle is the hero,” said Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron at a press conference. “Mr. Engle saved countless lives here today. It could have been much worse.”

Aaron said Engle, after the scuffle, went to his car, despite a head injury, and retrieved a gun and forced Samson to remain on the ground until police arrived.

Engle said in a statement that he didn’t consider himself a hero.

Samson has been treated and released from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and was taken into custody.

Also in news today…

An I-75 traffic stop by Bradley County Sheriff Office’s Drug Enforcement Unit was taken before a Federal Grand-Jury in Chattanooga, TN.

Toni Danille Watson, 48, of Cleveland, TN, who was a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped near the 22 mile marker in August, was indicted by the grand-jury for Possession with Intent to Distribute over 500 grams of Methamphetamine.

During the stop detectives seized several items of drug paraphernalia including baggies and scales from the vehicle.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assisted the sheriff’s office in the ongoing investigation.

From the Cleveland Daily Banner…

Local law enforcement and the District Attorney General’s office will be receiving grants to support local highway safety initiatives.

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office and Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security recently announced 400 grants exceeding $18 million will be distributed statewide for the 2017-2018 Federal Fiscal Year.

The grants are being made possible through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and distributed by the THSO.

In Bradley County, grants are being awarded to the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, the Cleveland Police Department and the Charleston Police Department. Also, the 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force, which includes serving Bradley County along with McMinn, Monroe and Polk counties, will receive a grant.

The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office will receive $55,000, which will be managed by the BCSO’s Public Safety Unit to fund traffic safety enforcement and educational campaigns throughout the fiscal year.

The Cleveland Police Department will receive a $5,000 grant to purchase in-car cameras and purchase a speed tracker.

Polk County Sheriff Steve Ross said the $5,000 grant for the sheriff’s office will help with the purchase of radar units.

The largest local grant will go to the District Attorney General’s Office. The $142,000 grant will be used by the DA’s office in all of the 10th Judicial District’s four counties.

This has been your local and state news. You can get news anytime by visiting our website, mymix1041.com, powered by Pioneer Credit. From the Tennova Healthcare Cleveland News Desk, this is Jeremy Gault reporting.