It only took about five minutes for the morning of Friday, May 9th, to go from "routine" to "chaotic."  Knoxville Police placed VolunteerTV, and other area homes and businesses on lockdown, as they searched the area for a kidnapping suspect.  We have all the details on VolunteerTV.com, what isn't reflected oin our story is the unusual way the situation unfolded for those of us working in the newsroom. 

Our morning news producer, Ryan, had been listening to scanner traffic most of the night, reagrding the search for the suspect.  Usually, dispatchers offer very basic information about most scanner traffic, but not this time...which likely meant that whatever was happening was more serious than usual.    That theory was confirmed about 4:00 a.m., when police started setting up a command post near the intersection of Kingston Pike and Northshore.  That location is just down the road from our studios, so Ryan sent our morning news videographer, Nate, to see what was happening.  

Within minutes, all roads leading to and from VolunteerTV were closed.  Now way in, no way out...WVLT was pretty much in the middle of the search area.  Thankfully, Nate was already at the command post and phoning in updates every few minutes.  Darrell DeBusk, the KPD spokesman, also started calling our newsroom, at first telling us to basically "watch out", that there was an armed and dangerous kidnapping suspect in the area.  Finally, Darrell advised us to make sure all entrances to the TV station were locked, and for everyone to stay inside.  When he said they had tracked this "armed and dangerous" suspect to within 90 feet of our building, my somewhat groggy morning, suddenly felt a shot of adrenaline. 

Police soon found the suspect at Campbell's Pool and Spa, which is next door to WVLT.  Police say he had a self-inflicted gun shot wound, and later died.  Police say the suspect also shot and killed his girlfriend. 

After the newscast, the morning news crew sat around talking about the day's events and playing "what if."  "What if" the suspect found a way into the tv station?  "What if" one of us had been walking from our car to the building, and the suspect saw a carjacking opportunity?  "What if" a gunfight broke out?  

Thankfully, we'll never know the answers.