Tennessee Sheriff Blames Beyoncé For Shots Fired At His House
Tennessee Sheriff Robert Arnold is blaming Beyoncé for the shots fired outside of his home on Monday evening. The Rutherford County Sheriff found six casings in his yard after an incident he feels was a targeting of law enforcement officers.
Beyoncé’s controversial Super Bowl performance angered police officers, and those who feel the men and women of law enforcement are local heroes. Protests of both Beyoncé and the NFL decision to allow the signer to perform have been ongoing since the championship football game, MSN notes.
Sheriff Robert Arnold will speak to media at 11am after shots fired at his home last night. #LIVEonFOX17 pic.twitter.com/NPGzRkLesj
— FoxNashville (@FOXNashville) February 16, 2016
Sheriff Robert Arnold stated during an interview with the Tennessean that he immediately thought about the targeting of law enforcement, which he feels has happened in many places after the Beyoncé Super Bowl performance and the release of her “Formation” video.
“Well, that’s [targeting] actually what I thought about. With everything’s that happened since the Super Bowl, and with law enforcement as a whole.”
Sheriff Arnold told his family to get on the floor of the home when the shots rang out. His wife and two young children were home when the unknown subject or subjects fired at his house. He was able to get a look out the window and saw a dark gray Nissan Altima speeding away from the scene. Murfreesboro police officers are currently investigating the incident.
“That’s what bothers me the most, how this affects my family,” he said. “For this to happen at my house, this bothers me tremendously,” the Rutherford County Sheriff added.
Tennessee sheriff blames Beyonce video for shots fired at home https://t.co/lnSYVJoP53 pic.twitter.com/BWasU70t2e
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) February 17, 2016
When the six rounds of.22-caliber bullets were fired at the sheriff’s home, he was sitting in his den on the phone with one of the Rutherford County Commissioners. Arnold says that it is not difficult to see into his house at night, and said that although he could always be a target, he is grateful he is “alive and well” today.
During a news conference and follow up clarification email about the shots fired at his home, the Tennessee Sheriff had this to say about the incident.
“We all know, as soon as you put your uniform on, you’re a target. You make people mad when you’re just doing your job. My comments reflect the violence and senseless killing of seven deputies in the U.S. since the show aired. My comments are an observation of the violence that has occurred but in no way is meant to offend anyone.”
The email from the Tennessee Sheriff to the local newspaper also included a link to the National Sheriff’s Association, which shared details about the violence against law enforcement offices that Arnold was referencing. The website said that “senseless killing” of four police officers had happened a week after the Beyoncé “anti-police” Super Bowl halftime show.
“[The killings] reminds us that the men and women in law enforcement take a solemn oath that includes putting their lives on the line everyday to protect our citizens,” the association website said.
Two of the police shooting deaths occurred in Maryland. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, staff at a Panera Bread restaurant called the police for a wellness check on a homeless man who frequented the establishment. A Colorado deputy attempted to detain a man walking on railroad tracks and was shot. In North Dakota, an officer was shot during a standoff with a suspect. A Georgia police officer was shot and killed when serving a warrant. One deputy was killed and another one wounded during a shootout in Utah.
[Image via A. Ricardo/Shutterstock]
