HCSD: Heavily-Armed Man Shot To Death During Welfare Check
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HCSD: Heavily-Armed Man Shot To Death During Welfare...
Someone was concerned 47-year-old John Webb Sr., a resident of 106 Chandler Circle in Church Hill, was in danger.
George Jackson/11 Connects
View of 106 Chandler Circle in Church Hill, Tenn.
Published: June 7, 2009
Updated: June 8, 2009
Hawkins Co., Tenn.—The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will take the lead on a frightening and tragic case out of Church Hill.
Hawkins County Sheriff Roger Christian said his officers received a welfare check request around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Someone was concerned 47-year-old John Webb Sr., a resident of 106 Chandler Circle in Church Hill, was in danger.
When deputies arrived, they learned Webb was heavily armed with guns and explosives, Christian said.
Things moved very quickly once they got there.
According to Dan O’Leary (he lives less than 100 yards from the Webb residence), deputies set up a blockade at both ends of the street. A short time later, Webb left his garage in full army combat gear—helmet included.
Webb was staggering, O’Leary said.
“We attempted to speak with him, at which time he raised the weapon and fired at the officers,“ Christian said. “Officers did return fire, striking Mr. Webb, and he subsequently died.“
Emergency workers took Webb to an area hospital. He died a short time after the shooting.
The Kingsport Bomb Squad removed several home-made devices from the scene Saturday night.
Christian could not answer the following questions this early in the investigation:
1. Were drugs or alcohol a factor?
2. How many gunshot wounds did Webb suffer?
3. Who shot Webb?
4. Who called in the welfare check?
T.B.I. Will pick up the investigation from here, Christian said.
So, who was John Webb? Neighbors said he was a man well-acquainted with tragedy.
“I didn’t really know John that well, but had no complaints,“ O’Leary said. “He kept to himself. He lost his son. He lost his wife—lot of things for a man to have to deal with,“ he said.
According to 11 Connects archives, Webb lost his 16-year-old son in March of 2005.
John Webb Jr. swerved in front of a pickup truck on Carter’s Valley Road days after earning his driver’s license.
The truck crashed into the passenger side of John Webb Jr.‘s car. The impact killed him and 15-year-old passenger Megan Anyx.
O’Leary said John Webb Sr. Lost his wife since then.
For a video version of this report, click the play icon above.
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Reader Reactions
Ya know, We just can’t understand why things happen like this but I think it’s sad when things like this happen to anyone. We never know what someone may be going through, What kind of suffering they are going through, what kind of problems they are dealing with, what kind of pain they may be feeling, the sadness they are feeling. There are signs to look for and we should all be aware of those signs and report anything that we don’t feel is normal.
Whom ever reported this situation did the right thing. Apparently this man had been dealing with a lot for a long period of time. He had lost his son, his wife, and his dog :( People like that aren’t able to think straight and any time we feel that someone isn’t acting right, We need to report them to maybe save their lives or someone close to them. This is really sad.
I am the ex-wife of John Patrick Webb Sr. I was married to John for years before we divorced in 2000, John and I divorced on good terms, I tried to change him and I shouldn’t have done that and since you can’t change anyone I decided to leave. John was a gentle man whom never raised his voice to me or a hand to me. The greatest love of his life was John Patrick Webb Jr. better known as “John Boy”. Yes he had many tragedies after we divorced, his father died, but then he remarried which I thought was wonderful. Then he lost John Boy before his life was even able to begin, the family of the young girl that died in the crash was supposedly suing John Sr. John Sr. then lost our dog which he treated like a child our doberman shooter was about 10 yrs old when he passed of old age and cancer, then he found out his new wife had breast cancer and i heard she had both breasts removed and then a few mths later he found her dead in the hallway, he has been left alone losing people he loved and living in a city w/no family. He had been saying he wished he was dead and that he wished he could commit suicide but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Yes, everyone tried to support him and talk to him but that didn’t help. He was hurting entirely too much. I am still having a hard time w/what has happened and I am sad that I am I still love is gone, but more sad that he felt so hurt and alone enough to cause cops to kill him. This was suicide by cop in every since because the John Webb I was married to wouldn’t have hurt anyone and couldn’t even bring himself to hurt his own self. So yes, this is tragic but he made his mind up. Just pray for him that he may be in a happier place w/his father, son, dog and wife….I believe is has finally went home. I LOVE YOU JOHN
I wonder if this gentleman had any other family that noticed a decline in his mental stability. Please folks…if you notice someone in your family or a friend heading into mental crisis…step in before it is too late and it ends up just like this. Poor guy..the things in his life were just too much for him to bear..can’t say I could either.
Have you ever wondered what the end would have been if the police had never showed up? Or maybe if that phone call hadn’t been made. What a sad world some have to live in. I believe most think we will never get back to equal of those days past.
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