Routine Police Business Escalates to Standoff in McKenzie

McKENZIE (March 24, 2026) — A routine visit to return a driver's license quickly escalated into a standoff with police on Tuesday when a McKenzie resident made threats to kill the officers and himself. 

McKenzie Police Department (MPD), Carroll County Sheriff's Office and Madison County SWAT responded to the residence of Bryan Gearin, 35, of Tennessee Street, due to threats made earlier in the day. 

MPD Ptlm Dalton Raspberry, along with Ptlm Timothy Dillon initially responded to return Joyce Gearin’s driver’s license, but later requested assistance from multiple officers from MPD, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and, later, Madison County SWAT team. 

The report from Ptlm Raspberry is as follows: 

“On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at or around 1:53 P.M., I, Ptlm Dalton Raspberry, along with Ptlm Timothy Dillon arrived at 100 Tennessee Street in McKenzie, Tenn. to attempt to return a driver's license that was turned into the McKenzie Police Department. The license was for Ms. Joyce Gearin at 100 Tennessee Street.

Upon arrival, no contact was made with Ms. Gearin at the house. Officers then made contact with the garage at that residence where loud music was coming from.

After knocking on the front door, a male voice began yelling and making threats.

The first threat was to use 5 gallons of gasoline to burn down the garage and kill us all.

The same male voice began to then make threats with an assault rifle to kill us all.

A few moments later, Ms. Gearin arrived on scene and began to attempt to calm down the male subject, Mr. Bryan Gearin.

At that time, he made statements to Ms. Gearin that he believed the police had stolen from him in the past.

Mr. Gearin continued to rant various statements to his mother and refused to come to the door to speak with us about the threats he had made.

Ms. Gearin did state that Mr. Gearin quit taking his prescribed medication for his Seizures/Brain Injury, that he had been feeling depressed lately, and had been drinking alcohol.

She also stated that she did not know if he had any firearms in the residence.

At or around 2:08 P.M., a call came out on Locust Avenue in regard to a multiple person fight in progress. Due to Mr. Gearin refusing to come to the door to speak with officers and his mother, Ms. Gearin, still attempting to de-escalate Mr. Gearin, officers decided to leave the residence and go handle the fight in progress call.

At or around 3:29 P.M., Ptlm Raspberry, along with Ptlm Timothy Dillon, and Deputy Bo Ezell, arrived back at the garage next to 100 Tennessee Street.

For reporting purposes, this garage was found to have its own residence number of 98 Tennessee Street.

As contact was once again made with this residence, Mr. Gearin again, began to rant and refused to come to the door to speak with us about threats he made earlier in the day.

Ms. Gearin did arrive back on the scene at that time.

She stated that Mr. Gearin did agree to go with her to the Emergency Room to get evaluated and to get some help.

Mr. Gearin did briefly open the front door, saw Deputy Ezell, and slammed the door shut and began to barricade the front door.

At that time, a noise was heard by Deputy Ezell, believed to be the sound of a shotgun slide being racked.

I, Ptlm Raspberry spoke with Assistant Chief Trey Boucher via phone and he advised at that time, to back out of the area, and see if Mr. Gearin would come out and go with his mom to the Emergency Room. If he would then we could come and talk with Mr. Gearin later about the threats he made to harm himself and harm officers.

At that time, all officers on scene left the premises of 98 Tennessee Street and went down to the parking lot at the McKenzie Middle School. Ms. Gearin's vehicle was never seen leaving the area.

At or around 4:25 P.M., I, Ptlm Raspberry, along with Ptlm Timothy Dillon, Deputy Bo Ezell, AC Trey Boucher, Lt. Justin Brister, Inv. Kyle Beauchamp, Inv. Cody Coleman, and Ptlm Cunningham, as well as mutliple other Deputies from the Carroll County Sheriff's Office began to surround the residence of 98 Tennessee Street in attempt to make contact with Mr. Bryan Gearin.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts, Ms. Gearin approached on foot from 44 Tennessee Street.

She advised that she did not take Mr. Gearin anywhere and believed he was still in the garage at 98 Tennessee Street. After a few more attempts to make contact, finally AC Boucher was able to make vocal contact with Mr. Gearin near the back of the garage.

Due to Mr. Gearin still refusing to come out of the residence to talk with us, a decision was made at that time, to hold the scene until Madison County SWAT arrived.

At or around 7:30 P.M., Madison County SWAT team did arrive at 98 Tennessee Street and began to call Mr. Gearin out of the residence on a PA system.

After no contact with Mr. Gearin was made, a negotiator was able to make contact with Mr. Gearin via phone call.

After about an hour of negotiating on the phone, Mr. Gearin began to make statements that he had a bunch of gasoline in the home and would use it.

At that time, SWAT officers did make contact with a side window of the residence, where the window was broken and Chemical Agents were dispersed into the residence in an attempt to get Mr. Gearin to come out.

After failed attempts, more Chemical Agents were dispersed into the residence.

At this time, a noise of a door being shut was heard. SWAT Officers would then enter the residence where Mr. Gearin was later found to be hiding under the residence in the crawl space.

He was taken into custody at that time. Mr. Gearin's vitals were checked by Medics on scene and he was then transported by Deputy Ezell to Carroll County Jail in Huntingdon, TN.”

Gearin was charged with three counts of assault on a first responder and three counts of aggravated assault. His total bond was set at $300,000.00. This incident occurred inside the city limits of McKenzie, Carroll County Tennessee.

No injuries were reported from the confrontation.