Tenn. standoff: suspects dead, hostage and 4 officers injured

Two brothers were killed early Wednesday morning after an hours-long standoff in Tennessee ended with a firefight that also left a hostage and four police officers wounded.

The incident began Tuesday afternoon around 2 p.m. when police in Clarksville — a city about 45 miles northwest of Nashville — attempted to execute a search warrant at the apartment of 31-year-old Brandon Green and 33-year-old Leonard Green.

The brothers — who were wanted for aggravated burglary — barricaded themselves inside with one hostage, according to Clarksville Now. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots before police set up a perimeter and locked down the area.

After more than 10 hours of negotiations, Clarksville police breached the apartment around 12:30 a.m. and a shootout ensued, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday. Both Green brothers were shot and killed. The hostage and another four police officers were wounded, but none of the officers sustained life-threatening injuries.

According to Dash 10 Media, the hostage — described as a 30-year-old man — “suffered gunshot wounds to the right arm, both legs, and the abdomen.” He was transported to a hospital by LifeFlight.

It’s unclear how the hostage was related to the Green brothers. Neither he nor the injured officers have been identified.

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According to Clarksville Now, both Green brothers have long criminal histories, with both previously arrested for aggravated assault and evading arrest on separate occasions, among other charges.

“TBI agents continue to work to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews,” the agency said in a news release.

“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,” they continued. “That decision rests with the district attorney general requesting TBI’s involvement.”