Gallatin police release graphic video of officer shooting woman with ax

New police surveillance video released Thursday shows a Gallatin police officer shooting a woman who police say attacked a Sumner County sheriff's deputy with an ax.

In the video, which was captured from a camera on officer James Spray's vest as well as other footage from another officer, Spray is seen telling a woman wielding an ax to stop approaching multiple times, then Spray is seen shooting the woman.

Daughter: Woman shot by Gallatin police 'was the best mother'

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the fatal officer-involved shooting took place while authorities were serving eviction papers outside a Gallatin home in the 200 block of Chaffin Court just off Airport Road Wednesday morning.

Laronda Sweatt, 40, was shot and killed after an altercation in which she injured a Sumner County sheriff’s deputy shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday, said TBI spokeswoman Susan Niland .

After seeing the footage, Sweatt’s daughter Alainna Sweatt said the released video is an edited version representing “half of the story that the police wants you to see.”

“Before they start judging, people should see the entire, unedited video, so they can make their own conclusions,” Alainna Sweatt, 22, said. “This is not doing my mother any justice. She was not a person who was out there to attack police officers. She was provoked.”

Gallatin police Chief Don Bandy identified the officer who fired the shots as Spray, 45. Bandy described him as a veteran officer who came to the department three to four years ago after working for other law enforcement agencies, including Metro Nashville's Parks Department.

A preliminary investigation revealed that before the shooting, Sumner County Sheriff's Office deputy Gary Pickard accompanied several members of the local housing authority to the home to serve an eviction notice when they encountered Sweatt.

At some point Sweatt became combative with Pickard and injured him, according to Niland. Sweatt was wielding an ax, according to a news release issued by Gallatin police. The deputy then ran back to his patrol vehicle and called for backup.

Three Gallatin Police Department officers arrived and were confronted by Sweatt, who was still in possession of the ax, the release said.

"As (Sweatt) continued advancing and making aggressive movement with the ax toward our officer, Officer Spray fired two shots, striking Sweatt both times," the release said.

“From my understanding there were two shots fired,” Bandy said. “Our officers were actually doing CPR on Ms. Sweatt. They were trying to assist until EMS got here. To my understanding she was pronounced dead at the hospital.”

Reporter Jordan Buie can be reached at 615-726-5970 or on Twitter @jordanbuie