SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The man accused of shooting and injuring a Sullivan County deputy on Friday is now facing attempted murder charges.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has charged Alan Coulter, 54 of Bristol, with two counts of attempted first-degree murder plus charges of reckless endangerment, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and use of a weapon during the commission of a dangerous felony.
The charges came after an hours-long standoff in Sullivan County ended Friday shortly before 9:30 a.m. Authorities say Coulter barricaded himself in an outbuilding and shot a deputy, who suffered serious injuries.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) spokesperson Leslie Earhart told News Channel 11 the agency has picked up the case after the incident drew response from multiple departments.
Sheriff Jeff Cassidy said officers tried to initiate a stop shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Hickory Tree Road.
The suspect, later identified as Coulter, reportedly fled police, jumping out of his truck, running up a driveway and self-barricading inside an outbuilding on the 400 block of Riley Hollow Road, according to the TBI.
As Sullivan County deputies approached the outbuilding, Coulter is accused of firing a shot through the door, hitting one of the deputies.
“[The suspect] then barricaded himself inside the building and refused commands to come out,” Earhart said in a briefing. “Deputies attempted to negotiate with Coulter in an effort to get him to surrender.”
At that time, Earhart revealed, the Bristol, Virginia SWAT team joined the Sullivan SWAT team, and Coulter fired several shots throughout the course of the next few hours, resulting in law enforcement returning fire.
“We are attempting negotiations right now,” Cassidy told News Channel 11 early Friday morning. “We are attempting to talk to him, trying to get him to come out peacefully. He’s refusing to do so at this time.”
The injured deputy was taken to the Johnson City Medical Center, where the deputy remains in serious but stable condition, according to the TBI in the Friday afternoon briefing.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office informed News Channel 11 that their agency had the following warrants out for Coulter’s arrest:
- 3 counts of aggravated assault
- Failure to appear
- Domestic assault
Cassidy said he received the call around 1 a.m. that the deputy had been shot.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said they were able to pull the injured officer away from the scene to receive medical help.
Responding agencies included the SCSO, the Kingsport Police Department (KPD), Bristol, Virginia Police, Bluff City Police, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP).
KPD responded with an armored vehicle, a drone and a bomb squad.
