KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Knox County District Attorney’s Office has announced charges against a 21-year-old man who they say sold a gun to Anthony Thompson Jr., who was shot and killed by police at an area high school in April.
The DA said Kelvon Foster is charged with providing handguns to juveniles. He’s also facing federal charges of making false or fictitious statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm.
According to the DA’s office, Foster met the 17-year-old at Harvey’s Pistol & Pawn on April 5 and bought a 9mm handgun. He’s accused of meeting Thompson Jr. later that day and then selling him the gun for cash and marijuana.
Investigators say Foster admitted to buying and then selling the gun to Thompson Jr., whom he’d known for several years. They said two more guns were recovered from Foster during the investigation.
Back in April, Knoxville police said officers responded to a report of a student possibly armed with a gun at Austin-East Magnet High School. They found Thompson Jr. in a bathroom. That's when he and officers got into a struggle and shots were fired.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Thompson Jr. fired once and the officers fired twice. The bullet that hit Officer Adam Wilson was not fired from the student's gun, according to the TBI press release.
A week after the shooting, Knox County DA Charme Allen announced that no charges would be filed against the officers, saying the incident was ruled as a justifiable shooting.
