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Jeffrey “Scott” West

Age : 68

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/25/2023

Location : Quarry Hollow Road

City : Friendsville

County : Blount

State : Tennessee

Agency : Blount County Sheriff’s Office

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Suicide

Event : Suicide under police duress during SWAT standoff following shooting

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/25/2023, at approximately 8:15 p.m., Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence on Quarry Hollow Road in Friendsville after a reported shooting. When deputies arrived, they encountered 24-year-old Kyle W. Spitze and another resident outside the house. Spitze had suffered a gunshot wound to his right ear.
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Spitze told deputies that he and 68-year-old Jeffery Scott West had been arguing inside the residence when West pulled out a firearm and shot at him. The bullet struck or grazed Spitze’s right ear. Spitze and the other resident then ran from the house and called 911. Spitze was treated at the scene before being transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
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West remained at the residence, prompting the Sheriff’s Office to deploy its Crisis Negotiations Team and SWAT team. Deputies attempted to negotiate with West and persuade him to surrender.
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The standoff continued for more than two hours. The Sheriff’s Office reported using diversionary devices in an effort to induce West to surrender, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
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Shortly before 11 p.m., deputies deployed a police K-9 into the residence. The dog located West inside the home, where deputies found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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West’s body was sent to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for autopsy. The death occurred during the continuing SWAT response and police efforts to take him into custody following the shooting of Spitze.
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The incident later received widespread attention after video recorded by Spitze during the confrontation circulated online in January 2024. The recording captured the argument and the moment West fired at Spitze.
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The Blount County Sheriff’s Office received assistance during the standoff from the Maryville Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation Unit, AMR Ambulance Service and Friendsville Volunteer Fire Department.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wate.com/news/blount-county-news/one-dead-another-injured-after-friendsville-shooting-standoff/
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/maryville-blount/kyle-spitze-viral-shooting/51-e23997a0-6ad4-4532-a4ba-4ad3e000f838
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/maryville-blount/blount-county-kyle-spitze-case-viral-shooting-video-updates/51-282a304d-6c6d-4f82-8aab-efcd8ee4786d