Mykel Dexter Jenkins, 29, who allegedly threatened Chattanooga police with a knife-like object on Friday morning as they responded to a domestic disturbance, has died from wounds sustained when police shot him, according to the Chattanooga Police Department.
He was pronounced dead at a local hospital, said a news release from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the shooting.
"The HCSO does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and, instead, refers questions of that nature to the respective department to answer as it sees fit," the release states.
"As this is an ongoing investigation, no further details will be released at this time."
Police said they were responding Friday to a domestic disturbance call in the 3600 block of Premium Drive near Red Bank after received a 911 call after 10 a.m. from a woman who said a man was "destroying her room."
Police spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Eames told the Times Free Press on Friday that the man, who had not been identified as Jenkins at that time, was "incredibly agitated" and "was exhibiting erratic behavior."
Officers were unable to de-escalate the confrontation, and Jenkins pulled out a "weapon fashioned to look and function as a knife," at which time they shot Jenkins "in order to mitigate the threat that he then posed," Eames said.
Officers attempted life-saving measures and called for an ambulance.
At the direction of Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office was to take over the investigation of the shooting.
Contact Colin M. Stewart at 423-757-6366, cstewart@timesfreepress.com or follow him on Twitter @Colin_M_Stewart.