Tennessee town paying settlement to family of man who was shot nine times by officer

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KNOXVILLE - A lawyer said a small town in Tennessee will pay a substantial settlement to the family of a man who was shot nine times as he tried to drive off with a police officer in the bed of his pickup truck.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Lenoir City settled with the family of Joshua William Grubb on Monday. Their attorney, T. Scott Jones, said the payment amounts to "six figures," but he didn't provide a specific amount.

Lenoir City Police Officer Tyrel Lorenz encountered Grubb as he responded to a report of an intoxicated driver near Highway 321 in March. Grubb tried to drive off, and Lorenz somehow ended up in the back of his truck.

The officer said he told the driver to stop before fatally shooting him. A Loudon County grand jury cleared him of any criminal charges in April, concluding that the officer fired his weapon in "an attempt to stop Grubb as Lorenz was in fear for his life and the safety of others on Highway 321."

Grubb's family disputed the jury's findings, and their lawyer blamed poor training. Lorenz was initially placed on paid administrative leave, but eventually resigned on May 25. City officials did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

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