CPD Officers On Administrative Leave Following Shooting

CHATTANOOGA, TN. – Three Chattanooga Police officers are on paid administrative leave per protocol when an officer is involved in a shooting.

Officer Celtain (KELL-tuhn) Batterson was wounded in the gunfire and is on leave. He is a nine-year veteran of the department. Also on leave are Nicholas Ayres, who has been with the department for five years, and Officer Christopher Dyess (DICE) who has been with the department since 2019. Officers were on scene for a street crime related detail and encountered 34-year-old Roger Heard at 9:41 pm on Friday, August 11th. At some point during the stop and attempt to serve outstanding warrants, gunfire was exchanged and Batterson and the suspect were both shot. The suspect was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is handling the investigation at the request of the 11th Judicial District Attorney Coty Wamp. The TBI is the independent, fact-finding state agency that handles the investigations into most of the state’s use-of-force cases.

TBI agents are working independently to determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for her review and consideration. The TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters; that decision rests solely with the District Attorney General.

In coordination with the TBI’s investigation, Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy has reached out to Heard’s mother and concerned community members. Murphy has assured the family that their line of communication to her is open and that information will be provided in accordance with the TBI’s investigative process.

“This is a terribly tragic incident for a lot of people,” said Murphy. “It’s tragic for the Chattanooga Police Department, the officer who was wounded and other officers who responded to the scene, certainly the family and friends of the man who lost his life, for people who were nearby at the time, and for people hearing and reading about it now. This is something we never want to happen and something we take very seriously. We are in full cooperation with the TBI investigation and have turned over all available footage and other evidence to them so that they can quickly and impartially determine the facts of this incident. My priority is to do everything above board and to follow procedure, and I urge the community to let the process run its course and to not jump to conclusions. We will continue to provide updates and share any new developments as appropriate and as we are able as TBI conducts its investigation."