Chattanooga police shoot, injure woman who was 'actively stabbing' another woman

Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and Chattanooga Police Department officers investigate a shooting at America's Best Inn on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and Chattanooga Police Department officers investigate a shooting at America's Best Inn on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

A woman was shot by Chattanooga police while "actively stabbing" another woman at a hotel on Lee Highway early Friday morning, according to police.

Officers were called to America's Best Inn just before 7:30 a.m. The caller told police that the suspect was stabbing the victim and holding her against her will in a locked room, according to a news release.

When police arrived, they announced their presence and called for the suspect to exit the room, the news release states, adding that the suspect did not respond and did not release the victim.

Officers heard a woman screaming from inside the room and forced their way in, according to the release, adding that that's when they saw the suspect stabbing the victim with a knife.

photo Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and Chattanooga Police Department officers investigate a shooting at America's Best Inn on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Shots were fired by two officers, with the suspect sustaining an injury that was not life-threatening, the release states. A male in an adjoining room also received a "minor injury," though the cause was not known and the person declined medical treatment, the news release states.

Both the female suspect and victim were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Per Chattanooga Police Department policy, all officers who were involved will be placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, according to the news release.

Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston directed the sheriff's office to handle the criminal investigation. The sheriff's office findings will then be turned over to Pinkston, who will determine whether the shooting was justified.

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