CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Cheatham County sheriff's deputy has been fired and is linked to a Metro police assault investigation.
Now we've connected the dots and have learned that same deputy is at the center of a civil rights lawsuit we first told you about last week.
The first incident happened this past August in Cheatham County -- shots fired into a home.
The second alleged incident happened four months later at a sporting venue in Nashville. Specifically at Top Golf the day after Christmas.
Metro police are investigating an alleged assault involving three off-duty Cheatham County law enforcement officers. The case is still under investigation, but this week all three were fired for violating policies.
One of them -- the now-former Cheatham County Deputy Doug Fox -- is also named in a separate federal lawsuit.
"This encounter happened so fast deputies only have a millisecond to react," said Cheatham County Sheriff Mike Breedlove when he was interviewed last week.
He defended his deputy's conduct in an officer-involved shooting.
"I'm happy no one lost their life that night," said Breedlove.
Fox and another deputy were sent on a 9-1-1 hang-up in Chapmansboro. They went to the home of Mark Campbell, did not identify themselves, and then after an exchange through the front door with Campbell while he was inside, Fox pulled his weapon and fired eight rounds through the front door.
Somehow Campbell, who was behind the door, escaped injury.
"I opened the door about four or five inches and then boom boom," said Campbell.
At the time, Fox told supervisors he thought Campbell was armed.
"He opened the door. He lifts something up. Puts something up to the door and I shoot at him," said Fox.
But Campbell says no way, "I had no weapons."
Campbell said he didn't point anything and police have since confirmed that no handgun was found in Campbell's home.
Last week, the sheriff said he still trusted his deputy.
"So you believe there was a gun?"
"I do," said Breedlove.
"It just wasn't found?"
"Yes."
However since the sheriff spoke with NewsChannel 5 about the incident, Breedlove has fired Fox because of the alleged incident at Top Golf.
Does the sheriff still trust his former deputy? Breedlove declined to comment now other than to confirm Fox is no longer with the department.
At this time, no charges have been filed in the alleged Top Golf incident but Mark Campbell is suing Fox and the Cheatham County sheriff in federal court alleging among other things use of excessive force.
