A Bartlett man is dead after a standoff with police.
The situation began Tuesday around 9:30 p.m. in the area of Covington Pike and Stage Road in Bartlett.
Local 24 News has been told that a woman called police after her husband threatened the family. According to the man’s uncle, 39-year-old Toby Bailey was depressed and drinking after losing a janitorial job contract.
When officers arrived on scene, they say he threatened to kill them if they didn’t get off of his property.
The wife and children were taken out of the home safely, then officers called for backup. Bailey was barricaded in the home for hours while officers tried negotiating with him.
Bartlett SWAT went into the home about 1:30 a.m., using tear gas. The TBI says two officers fired at Bailey. Killing him as he raised a handgun in their direction. The TBI says a third officer also shot and killed a Rottweiler inside the home.
As of 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, the scene was still very active.
The TBI has taken over the investigation due to it being an officer-involved shooting. The agency released the following Wednesday morning:
At the request of 30th District Attorney General Amy Weirich, TBI Agents continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding a fatal officer-involved shooting overnight in Bartlett.
Preliminary information indicates the incident occurred at approximately 1:30 Wednesday morning and involved officers from the Bartlett Police Department. Earlier in the night, officers responded to reports of a domestic violence incident at a home in the 5300 block of Stage Road. Upon arriving, a man, identified as Toby Bailey (DOB 12-10-79), ran inside his home, made threats to shoot the officers, and barricaded himself. Beginning at approximately 9:45, police negotiators, family members, and a pastor began attempts to talk with Bailey, in an effort to encourage him to surrender. During the course of the next few hours, however, Bailey fired several gunshots inside the home. SWAT officers from the Bartlett Police Department deployed tear gas into the home and made entry at approximately 1:30 Wednesday morning. Officers reported they encountered Bailey inside the home and at least two officers fired their service weapons when Bailey raised a handgun in the direction of the officers. A third officer also fatally shot a Rottweiler inside the home. Paramedics pronounced Bailey deceased at the scene. No law enforcement officers were injured in the incident.
TBI Agents and Forensic Scientists continue to gather relevant interviews and evidence. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General’s office for her further review and consideration. As a reminder: The TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases. Any determination as to whether the officer’s actions were justified rests solely with the District Attorney General.
As is our policy, the TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead refers questions of that nature to their respective departments.
Anyone with information that may assist TBI in this investigation should call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
