PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — A man was shot and killed by Sevier County Sheriff’s Office deputies early Wednesday morning at a Days Inn motel on the Parkway, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is now investigating the incident.
The man has been identified as 40-year-old Leroy Victor Brooks.
How the Shooting Unfolded
According to the city of Pigeon Forge, Pigeon Forge Police officers responded to the Days Inn motel at 4010 Parkway around 4:25 a.m. to assist Sevier County deputies in serving a felony warrant on Brooks.
The warrant stemmed from Knox County and involved a violation of probation tied to an attempted second-degree murder conviction, along with new charges for theft and evading arrest, according to the Knox County District Attorney’s office.
When officers first arrived, they were unable to locate or make contact with Brooks, and Pigeon Forge police left the scene. A short time later, Sevier County deputies returned and made contact with Brooks inside a motel room.
The TBI said that for reasons still under investigation, three deputies opened fire, striking Brooks. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
No deputies were injured during the encounter, and no Pigeon Forge police officers were present when the shooting happened.
Attorney Bryan Delius, who said he represents the deputies involved, released a statement saying other people were also present in the motel room with Brooks.
He said deputies used “the highest degree of restraint and professionalism” to get those individuals safely out of the room before engaging with Brooks.
According to Delius, Brooks was armed and retaliated against the deputies, putting their lives in danger and forcing them to use lethal force. Delius added that his firm is conducting its own investigation into the shooting.
Suspect’s Criminal History
Court and law enforcement records show Brooks had a lengthy criminal history. He was convicted following a bank robbery on December 5, 2011, and was sentenced to 63 months in prison.
While on supervised release from that conviction, Brooks was accused of firing a gun at Knoxville Police Department officers on December 24, 2023, after officers responded to reports that he was shooting at nearby homes.
The officer who responded returned fire, but no one was struck during that incident.
Brooks was later convicted of attempted second-degree murder, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, evading arrest, and reckless endangerment involving a deadly weapon.
He served two years in prison while awaiting trial and was also sentenced to eight years of supervised probation tied to the second-degree murder charge.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said it is handling the probe into Wednesday’s shooting at the request of Fourth Judicial District Attorney General James Dunn.
Officials said additional details will be released as the investigation continues, and the names of the deputies involved have not yet been made public.
The Knoxville Police Department confirmed Brooks was the same man previously charged in connection with the 2023 shooting involving its officers.
This remains a developing story, and both the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office and the TBI say more information will be shared as the investigation moves forward.
