Local authorities lock down distillery, schools as a precaution on Tuesday

LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Local law enforcement, Jack Daniel’s Distillery management, and school systems officials all agreed to lock down both the distillery, Lynchburg Elementary, and Moore County High School as a precaution on Tuesday after reports of threats related to a Maury County domestic violence call.

On January 10, officials from the Jack Daniel’s South Bottling facility called Metro Moore County Sheriff’s Department regarding a potential threat to an employee. According to Moore County Communications, Jack Daniel Dispatch called to report a subject, possibly armed, could be on his way from Maury County to the facility. MMCSD immediately dispatched deputies to the area and placed the facility on lockdown.

As additional information came in, local authorities became aware of potential ties to a student in the Moore County School System and both schools were also locked down as a precaution.

Sheriff Tyler Hatfield issued a BOLO for the suspect with both the Tennessee Highway Patrol and surrounding counties soon after. Not long after, Columbia Police Department units notified Moore County that they located a vehicle matching the suspect’s at a Maury County residence. The suspect was apprehended in Maury County without incident. No one in Moore County was injured.

“Everything we did was precautionary,” Sherriff Hatfield says. “The suspect never entered Moore County.”

Following notification that the suspect was in custody, local officials lifted the lockdown procedures.

“At no time was there an armed suspect present on any Jack Daniel or Metro Moore County School campus. Metro Moore County Detectives are currently investigating the case to see if local charges will be filed,” stated Sheriff Hatfield. •

{The Lynchburg Times is an independently-owned, community newspaper located in Lynchburg, Tennessee the home of The Jack Daniel Distillery. We focus on public service, non-partisan, rural journalism. We cover the Metro Moore County government, local tourism, Moore County schools, high school sports, Motlow State Community College, as well as whiskey industry news and regional and state stories that affect our readers.}