Local Man recovering, suspect in custody after Officer-Involved Shooting/hit-and-run

Lawrence County Sheriff's Deputies stopped a vehicle on Waterloo Road in Lawrence County around 9:30 p.m. on October 16th. One of the occupants, Jose Antonio Lopez Jr, who currently has multiple warrants for his arrest, was observed in the vehicle. Shortly after coming to a stop, Lopez takes control of the vehicle and hits Sheriff's Deputy Robert Klein knocking him to the ground in an adjacent ditch. Deputy Klein, immediately before being struck by the vehicle, fired a single shot through the front windshield at Lopez. Lopez continued in the vehicle approximately ¼ miles down Waterloo Road before fleeing on foot. Evidence from the vehicle indicated that Lopez was possibly struck from the round that Deputy Klein fired on duty. Lopez's girlfriend, who was also in the vehicle, was detained and later released. Ground teams, multiple drones, tracking dogs and a helicopter was dispatched to the area to search for Lopez.

Deputy Klein was flown to a medical center in Nashville where he was listed in stable condition. On 10-17-24 at approximately 11:00 am LCSO received a call that a person matching Lopez's description was seen in the area of Adams Rd in Lawrence County. Sheriff's Deputies quickly surrounded the area and a short time later Lopez was found hiding in a nearby barn. Lopez was arrested and then transported to Southern Tennessee Regional Hospital where he is currently being treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Once released from the hospital, Lopez was booked into the Lawrence County Jail on multiple felony charges.

"There are certain things that you have to accept when you are a LEO or LEO spouse," said Deputy Klein. "There are risks that come with the job that you acknowledge and hazards that you try to avoid. Even so, you go to work to protect others and hope and pray that you go home at the end of your shift.

On Wednesday, October 16th, while trying to apprehend a suspect, I was struck and ran over by a vehicle. The suspect, only thinking of himself, was willing to take the life of a LEO to maintain his freedom. By the grace of God and the efforts of my fellow officers, EMS, air evac and the staff of Skyline Medical Center, I am expected to fully recover. It will be a long road to recovery, but I am blessed that I will have that chance and that they are not planning my funeral.

We cannot give enough thanks to everyone involved in taking care of me and searching for and apprehending the "suspect".