Homicide Suspect Fatally Shot Following Armed Confrontation with Sequatchie County Deputies
Johnny Michael Queen Obituary, Death – A homicide investigation in Sequatchie County, Tennessee, escalated into a fatal encounter on Monday night when the primary suspect, Johnny Michael Queen, was shot and killed by deputies after pointing a gun at them. The incident and subsequent officer-involved shooting are now under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
The situation began around 8:45 p.m. Monday evening when Sequatchie County deputies initiated an investigation into a homicide that had occurred off Dandy Road on Signal Mountain. Through their initial inquiries, the Sheriff’s Office quickly identified Johnny Michael Queen as the main suspect in the homicide case.
Authorities attempted to make contact with Queen, reaching out to him by telephone in an attempt to secure his peaceful surrender. However, the suspect refused to comply with the deputies’ demands to turn himself in. This refusal prompted an immediate expansion of the operation to locate and apprehend him.
Deputies subsequently launched a search operation, enlisting the assistance of multiple allied law enforcement agencies, including the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and investigators from the 12th Judicial Drug Task Force. The multi-agency team focused their search efforts in the Signal Mountain area, where the initial homicide investigation was centered.
The search culminated when law enforcement personnel successfully located Queen off Big Fork Road on Signal Mountain. According to the TBI’s official statement regarding the incident, a dangerous confrontation ensued upon discovery. The TBI reports that Queen pointed a gun at the officers present at the scene. In response to this imminent threat, law enforcement personnel discharged their weapons, striking the suspect.
Authorities immediately confirmed that Johnny Michael Queen was pronounced dead at the scene following the exchange of gunfire. A critical detail confirmed by the Sheriff’s Office and TBI is that no officers were injured during the armed confrontation.
In line with standard procedure for all incidents involving use of deadly force by law enforcement officers, the Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Office immediately requested the involvement of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The TBI has now taken the lead in the investigation. Their role is to independently review all evidence, actions, and factors to determine precisely what occurred in the moments leading up to the officer-involved shooting.
The tragic conclusion to the homicide investigation marks a somber event for the Sequatchie County community. The TBI’s findings will provide the full factual account of the confrontation and the circumstances that resulted in the death of the homicide suspect, Johnny Michael Queen.
