The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 06:32 PM

No Motive So Far Found In Shooting Near Powell High School Area According To Knox County Sheriff's Office

POWELL - (SOURCE: WVLT) -- The Knox County Sheriff's Office said deputies were searching for two suspects, described as armed and dangerous, following a deadly Tuesday night shooting in Powell.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office pronounced 19-year-old Cameron Smith dead at the scene Tuesday night. Deputies said the driver and the passenger both suffered gunshot wounds.

Deputies said the passenger, 20-year old Lucas Halliburton, was is in stable condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Around 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, deputies said a caller reported a black Ford Mustang chasing a white Chrysler Sebring. Witnesses told dispatchers the Mustang was "aggressively following" the Sebring. Investigators said the passenger started shooting at the Sebring with a handgun after they turned onto Emory Road.

The chase reportedly started on Clinton Highway near Powell Drive and ended when the Sebring came to a stop in the 2500 block of Emory road outside of the Broad Acres neighborhood.

Deputies hoped Halliburton would be helpful in piecing the case together but investigators said he told them he did not know what prompted the shooting.

"The surviving passenger said he had no idea why anyone would be shooting at him or his friend or the vehicle," Major Michael MacLean said.

The sheriff's office said at a news conference Wednesday authorities took possession of a black Ford Mustang, but could not confirm if it matched the vehicle they were searching for in connection to the case. The sheriff said they were also looking for two persons of interest, but could not name them.

The sheriff thanked the public for their response to the shooting. He said 15 witnesses patiently waited for an extended period of time to be interviewed.

Deputies asked for help finding two black men considered suspects in the case. Both men were described as armed and dangerous. Anyone with information was asked to call 865-215-2243.