28-year-old Robert Scruggs charged in connection to the shootings at Anderson Automotive in Knoxville

Update: Robert Scruggs, 28, has been charged in connection to the shootings that happened on Saturday morning at Anderson Automotive and in the 400 block of N. Broadway, respectively.

Scruggs, who was detained by officers who located the Kia that was stolen from the victim of the shooting at Anderson Automotive, has been charged with felony murder from the Anderson Automotive shooting and first-degree murder from the shooting that followed in the 400 block of N. Broadway.

Scruggs has also been charged with especially aggravated robbery, carjacking, business burglary and two counts of felony evading arrest.

The motive for the shootings is unknown at this time.

Scruggs is in custody and will be booked shortly.

Original Report:

The Knoxville Police Department Homicide Unit is investigating two deadly shootings, strongly suspected of being connected, that happened near downtown Knoxville on Saturday morning.

At around 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024, KPD officers responded to Anderson Automotive and Towing on Cooper Street to investigate a shooting with a victim. Officers arrived at the scene and found a man suffering from at least one gunshot wound. The victim was transported to the UT Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Based on the findings of the ongoing investigation, it is believed that the victim was responding to an alarm at the business when he encountered the suspect and was shot. The suspect then left the scene in the victim’s vehicle, a black Kia Sorento.

After officers initially arrived at the scene of the shooting at Anderson Automotive, they received a call concerning a gunshot victim in the 400 block of N. Broadway. Officers responded to the area and located a man who had been shot at least one time. The victim was transported to the UT Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Multiple possible witnesses were found on scene and are being interviewed by Homicide Unit detectives.

Detectives believe the shooting on N. Broadway is directly connected to the shooting that preceded it at Anderson Automotive.

In the course of the investigation, officers located the Kia that was stolen from the scene of the shooting at Anderson Automotive. Officers attempted to stop it but the driver did not stop. Officers lost sight of the vehicle in the Dandridge Avenue area but were able to locate it parked at a home on Morningside Drive. Officers found and detained the driver nearby. That individual is considered a person of interest in both shootings and is currently being questioned by Homicide Unit detectives.