Rodney James Hess

The Washington Post's Fatal Force database records Rodney James Hess in a fatal on-duty police shooting on 2017-03-16 in Alamo, TN. Individual circumstances and legal outcome require case-specific review.

What happened

Rodney James Hess, 36, was fatally shot by a Crockett County sheriff's deputy near Alamo, Tennessee, on March 16, 2017, during an encounter he partially recorded on Facebook Live. Deputies came upon Hess sitting in a vehicle obstructing traffic and stated that he behaved erratically and drove toward them, threatening to strike officers. At least one deputy shot through the vehicle's windshield, striking Hess. He drove away or lost control and crashed; responders transported him by helicopter to a hospital where he died. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that Hess had not used a firearm in the encounter. His fiancée, Johnisha Provost, said Hess lived with bipolar disorder, prompting questions about police tactics during a possible mental-health emergency. The social-media footage and accounts by relatives brought unusual public attention to the incident. The claim that Hess attempted to strike officers is attributed to police; the reporting reviewed did not establish a later judicial determination about the shooting.

Investigation & findings

Individual legal and investigative outcome not yet reviewed.

What happened

Investigation & findings

Sources & records