KNOXVILLE, TN — Authorities have identified the victims of the early Sunday morning shooting on I-640 West as Troy Hutchison, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Rodrell Jeter, 25, of Detroit, Michigan. A third victim, a 22-year-old man also from Detroit, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
According to the Knoxville Police Department Homicide Unit, the victims were traveling through Knoxville from Detroit to Atlanta in a rented light-colored, newer model Ford Bronco with Michigan tag number 26541RF. The male suspect involved in the incident was traveling with them at the time of the shooting. Investigators say the relationship between the victims and the suspect, as well as the motive, remains unknown. Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene in the Bronco, which has not yet been located. Police believe both the vehicle and the suspect are no longer in the Knoxville area.
Detectives are actively conducting interviews with potential witnesses, family members, and associates of the victims to piece together the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Authorities confirmed that the victims had no prior criminal history and no known ties to Knox County, underscoring the tragic and seemingly random nature of this attack.
The Knoxville community is grieving the loss of Hutchison and Jeter, whose lives were abruptly and senselessly cut short. Family, friends, and neighbors are mourning their deaths while hoping for the recovery of the third victim, whose condition remains serious.
Police are urging anyone with information that could assist in the investigation to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers by phone, online, or via text. Officials continue to appeal to the public for any details that may help locate the suspect and provide answers to the victims’ loved ones.
This is an active and ongoing investigation, and authorities are committed to finding the suspect and ensuring justice for the victims.
Troy Hutchison and Rodrell Jeter will be remembered by their families and communities, and their sudden loss serves as a somber reminder of the fragility of life.
