A Tennessee police officer was knocked out after allegedly making racist remarks outside of a wedding last month.
On June 26th, Knoxville Police officer Tanner Holt attended a wedding while off-duty. At some point, words were exchanged with another attendee, Jonathan Toney. Holt told Toney that he “didn’t know they let black people in” the venue. Holt, a white man, then told Toney that he was “part of the black community” before being asked multiple times to stop making racist comments.
When Holt continued making the racist statements, Toney told responding officers that he punched Holt in the face one time, which knocked him out unconscious. When Knoxville Fire Department and American Medical Response officials responded to the Old City parking lot where the incident occurred just before 9:00 p.m, Holt was still out cold. Two witnesses also confirmed the story, and a third witnessed the knock-out, though she didn’t hear the conversation that led to it. Nevertheless, all witnesses confirmed that Holt was extremely inebriated during the exchange.
Holt was transported to a local hospital. He sustained “serious injuries,” and it is unclear when he will be medically cleared to return to duty.
The Knoxville Police Department Internal Affairs are still investigating the altercation. At this time, no arrests have been made.
