Kenneth DeHart: Bodycam footage shows fatal shooting of Tennessee deputy during traffic stop
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE: In a harrowing incident captured by body camera footage, Tennessee Sheriff's Deputy Greg McCowan, 43, lost his life during a routine traffic stop when suspect, Kenneth Wayne DeHart Jr, opened fire after being tased.
The tragic incident occurred on February 8 in Maryville, with McCowan and Deputy Shelby Eggers conducting a traffic stop on DeHart, who was driving erratically in an SUV on Sevierville Road.
DeHart was arrested after a five-day manhunt and faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and being a felon in possession of a weapon. His brother, Marcus DeHart, was also arrested for aiding him after the shooting and is charged as an accessory after the fact to a crime.
Kenneth DeHart opened fire on deputies after refusing to exit his vehicle
The bodycam footage portrays the tense moments as McCowan deployed his taser on DeHart, 42, who vehemently refused to comply with the deputies. As the suspect writhed in pain, he abruptly shut his car door, aimed his gun out the window, and fired shots at both officers.
Dashcam footage further captures DeHart firing an additional shot before fleeing the scene, audibly expressing, "I told you motherf******s."
Eggers, 22, who initially pulled the suspect over for erratic driving, was shot in the leg during the confrontation.
Despite attempting to apply a tourniquet, McCowan succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to the hospital.
The encounter unfolded as Eggers instructed DeHart to exit the vehicle, suspecting him of smoking marijuana.
Kenneth DeHart accused authorities of racial bias during traffic stop
DeHart, however, denied the allegations, claiming he was driving his grandmother's car after attending his son's high school sports game.
Amid the escalating tension, the suspect, who was on the phone with his grandmother, alleged racial bias, stating, "I'm Black, and they're just being nasty.... I'm refusing."
The situation escalated as DeHart resisted the search, insisting he did nothing wrong. As the deputies repeatedly urged him to exit the vehicle, tensions reached a breaking point when McCowan tased the suspect.
In a tragic turn, DeHart retaliated by pulling out a gun, and shooting at the officers, ultimately leading to the deputy's fatal injuries.
McCowan, a dedicated law enforcement officer who commenced his career in 2020, was remembered for his commitment to saving lives, even before joining the police force. He is survived by his fiancee, children, and granddaughter.
