Neighbors recount Blount Co. deputy shooting, past incidents with suspect

ROCKFORD, Tenn. (WATE) — The man accused of shooting and injuring two Blount County sheriff's deputies has a history of domestic incidents.

The shooting happened after BCSO went to the suspect's home on Jacob Springs Boulevard on Tuesday.

When officers arrived, they briefly lost sight of the suspect after he walked through the garage door. The suspect reappeared and began shooting at the officers, who returned fire and hid behind their vehicles. The suspect then retreated inside the house. He was eventually taken into custody and identified as 59-year-old Ronald Reed Millsaps.

Deputies Edward Walker and Corbin Smith were both shot in the leg. They then both left the hospital.

Lorri and Tom Clark live behind the Millsaps house.

“All of a sudden I hear 'pow pow pow.' so I yelled to my husband and I was like, “Did you hear that?” and he told me 'no' and I said 'I think it was gunshots,'” she said.

A few minutes later, deputies arrived at their door.

“We hear a 'bow bow bow' on the door and Tom walks up to the door and there are two police officers and they said, 'we need to take you to get you out of the house,'” Clark recalled.

The Blount County Sheriff's Office responded to Millsaps' home for domestic calls three times in the last year. Once in July 2023, once in November 2023 and in February 2024. The Clarks said neighbors also had run-ins with him.

“These neighbors have had problems with him before. When they put up their fence, he said it was on his mother's property and he gave their car a hard time,” Clark said.

The couple also said they had worried about Millsaps' mother in the past. She was inside the house during the confrontation. According to arrest warrants, during the incident, the E-911 center received information that Millsaps was “actively trying to kill” his mother.

This is the second time this year Blount County deputies have been hit by gunfire. Deputies Greg McCowan and Shelby Eggers were shot while conducting a traffic stop in February. Deputy McCowan died from his injuries.

“In four months, I had four deputies shot and one of them died. I don't know what's going on in society but it's disturbing. It’s very emotional as you saw last time and it’s by the grace of God that these deputies are still alive,” said Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong.

Tom Clark wore a shirt in support of the sheriff's office the day after the shooting behind their home.

“It was one of the shirts they made for the last shoot, and we actually bought two different ones,” Clark said.

After Millsaps was taken into custody, they were driven back to their home. Millsaps is due in court June 17.