Grainger man dies from gunshot in Walmart parking lot
CPD Chief of Police Rick Scarbrough answers questions posed to him by the media at a news conference Friday evening held outside the CPD on the deadly shooting of a Grainger County man outside the Wal-Mart parking lot in Clinton.
Police received the first 911 call at approximately 1:15 p.m., and were apprised by an eyewitness that a person was “down” in front of the lawn and garden center entrance of the store, and that a man “had been shot, and that another man, believed to be the shooter, was still in the parking lot of the store,” police reports stated.
Within three minutes of receiving the call, officers from CPD and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department arrived on scene and apprehended the suspect, 32-year-old Robert K. Myers, of Briceville.
Anderson County Emergency Servcies medics, who were also called to the scene, confirmed the shooting victim had died at the scene from the gunshot wound.
The victim was identified as Marshal A. Pinsly, 23, of Grainger County.
Police learned during the investigation that Myers is the ex-husband of Pinsly’s wife, but details relating what sparked the altercation that turned fatal have yet to be confirmed.
In a news release Saturday morning from Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough, it was revealed that Myers has since been released from police custody “after several hours of questioning” at CPD headquarters.
“The investigation is not over. It’s ongoing and we are continuing to interview witnesses and review evidence, including video from security cameras in the area,” reported Scarbrough.
An autopsy on the victim was expected to be performed on Saturday, April 29, Scarbrough said.
At a news conference Friday evening outside the CPD, Scarbrough confirmed that there were several witnesses at the time of the shooting, and that police were questioning those witnesses and reviewing evidence.
Scarbrough also noted the suspect was “being cooperative” on Friday for questioning.
Assisting CPD at the crime scene Friday were the 7th Judicial Crime Task Force, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, and the Clinton Fire Department.
Scarbrough stated during the news conference that this incident should serve as a cautious reminder for citizens to “be aware at all times of their surroundings.”
Police have also been hesitant to call this incident a domestic dispute.
Scarbrough stated at the news conference he would not call it a domestic dispute.
At this time, no charges have been filed on Myers.
In a phone interview Tuesday morning, May 2, Scarbrough said he could not comment on the type of gun Myers used to shoot Pinsly, or how police are proceeding with the investigation other than to say the investigation is ongoing.