On July 19, at approximately 7:47 p.m. while on patrol in Putnam County on I-40, mile marker 285, near the Burgess Falls exit, Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Trooper Adam Cothron pulled a white Kia Forte over for a traffic violation. During the interaction with the two black males within the Kia, Trooper Cothron was shot. The two males then fled the scene and abandoned the Kia on Hwy 109 near Gallatin, Tenn. Trooper Cothron was flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville where he is in stable condition.
Before joining the THP in 2015, Trooper Cothron was a former Deputy Sheriff for the Trousdale County Sheriff’s Office. He is a certified K-9 handler and is an outstanding trooper. He comes from a respected law enforcement family and is known for being a father and a husband to his family.
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The trooper’s body-worn camera recorded an image of a male passenger in the Kia. That person was identified as Braze Rucker, a 29-year-old black male. The THP and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) have obtained warrants for the arrest of Rucker for his Criminal Responsibility of Facilitation of a Felony in relation to the shooting of Trooper Adam Cothron in Putnam County, TN.
The THP, TBI along with several other law enforcement agencies across Tennessee are collaboratively working to locate Rucker and the other individual(s) from the Kia Forte. They are seeking a non-violent resolution to the apprehension of all individuals involved in this situation. The search is ongoing, and information that can be released is limited. Please continue to follow the THP and TBI social media sites for updates.
There is a reward of up to $10,000 being offered for information leading to the arrest of Braze Rucker. If anyone has any information that will help law enforcement locate these individuals, please call 1-800-TBI-Find. If you spot Rucker, do not approach him as he is considered armed and dangerous. Instead, dial 911 immediately. The TBI has also placed Rucker on T.B.I.’s Most Wanted.
Source: Read Original Release
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