KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A tense standoff between Knoxville police and a man armed with a machete ended peacefully Thursday afternoon after several hours of negotiation. The incident began around 11 a.m. near Caswell Park and resulted in the arrest of 29-year-old Travis Miller.
According to Knoxville Police Department spokesperson Scott Erland, Miller had entered the Cansler Family YMCA on Jessamine Street earlier that morning with a large knife. After being asked to leave by staff, Miller complied but had been previously warned about his behavior. YMCA personnel had also requested that he be formally trespassed from the facility due to past incidents involving similar behavior.
Officers located Miller later in Caswell Park. When they approached him, Miller reportedly pulled out a machete, approximately 12 inches long, and ran into a ravine behind the Ashley Nicole Dream Playground. In response, the department’s crisis negotiation team was called to the scene.
For nearly three hours, negotiators worked to de-escalate the situation. Around 3 p.m., police were able to take Miller into custody without further incident. He was subsequently transported to UT Medical Center for treatment and later released.
Miller was booked at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Center on charges of aggravated assault on a first responder. Police did not disclose whether any officers were injured during the confrontation.
The situation was resolved peacefully, thanks to the efforts of crisis negotiators and law enforcement, and there were no reports of major injuries. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
