A Gallatin police officer was suspended following the death of a man shot and killed himself while in the back of a police cruiser.
According to police reports the man, 27-year-old Wendell Wilson, threatened to kill Waffle House employees with a steak knife on May 5.
Two Gallatin Police officers responded to the scene and located Wendell Wilson in the parking lot.
TBI Investigating Death Of Man In Police Custody
Dispatch told the officers, employees were unsure if Wilson had the knife on him or left it in the restaurant.
Reports stated Wilson was uncooperative with officers and taken into custody.
Wilson told officers Caleb Helson and Janos Briscoe he had been in an argument with staff at the Waffle House because they forgot to provide him with silverware and that employees asked Wilson to leave.
While in custody, Officer Helson searched Wilson and Officer Briscoe searched a guitar case Wilson had carried.
Officer Briscoe found numerous rounds of .22 ammo in his wallet.
Officer Helson asked Wilson if he had a gun on him and Wilson replied he did not have one.
Helson placed Wilson in the patrol car while Briscoe spoke with employees inside Waffle House.
Helson began transporting Wilson to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office .
About five minutes later, Helson told other officers over the radio that Wilson had shot himself.
Gallatin Police spokesperson Bill Storment said officer Helson was suspended four days following the outcome of the TBI investigation. He was retrained on how to handcuff and search suspects.
