Man Shot By Police Had 43 Bullet Wounds

TBI Investigating Action By 6 City Officers

  • Monday, August 3, 2009

A man shot on July 18 by six city police officers who said he threatened them with a rifle had 43 bullet wounds, an autopsy report shows.

The medical examiner's office said some of the wounds could have been from the same shot so it does not mean that Alonzo Arness Heyward was shot 43 times.

Police said the officers fired a total of 59 shots.

The shots ranged from one near the mouth to one on the lower right leg. Many of the wounds were near the groin area, while others were in the chest and several on the legs.

There were also a number of wounds to the back. It was not clear whether they were all exit wounds.

A full autopsy report is to be released later.

The six Chattanooga Police officers involved in the fatal shooting early on a Saturday morning were placed on seven days administrative leave.

Officers Lauren Bacha, Deborah Dennison, Zachery Moody, George Romero, William Salyers and Bryan Wood were placed on paid leave according to Chattanooga Police Department policy.

TBI Agent Tom Washington is investigating the incident.

The autopsy report says the victim died of "multiple gunshots."

It says he threatened to shoot himself with a rifle. Police confronted him on the porch of a house at 4316A 7th Ave.

It says negotiations were not successful and an attempt was made to tase him.

The report says, "Police officers fired multiple round with their pistols, resulting in the death of the decedent."

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