DEKALB COUNTY, TN — 13th District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway, who serves DeKalb County, released a statement Friday regarding the resignation of 31st District Attorney General Chris Stanford, who was indicted in connection with a Smithville “shots fired” incident last November. “Christopher Stanford is currently under indictment in DeKalb County charged with the offense of Reckless Endangerment,” said Dunaway. “As a partial resolution of the case, Stanford has resigned his position as the elected District Attorney for the 31st Judicial District comprised on Warren and Van Buren Counties”. “By letter dated October 10.2025, Mr. Stanford’s attorney informed Governor Lee of Stanford’s resignation with a stated effective date of October 31, 2025”. Dunaway added, “The trial currently set for January 7, 2026 in DeKalb County will be continued to a future date by order to be entered by Judge Wesley Bray” and “Since the litigation is not fully resolved yet, no further comment can be made at this time”, said Dunaway.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the probe began on November 21, 2024, after agents learned Stanford allegedly fired several rounds on Bell Street and that a bullet struck an occupied home where a woman and her three children were inside. In December 2024, a DeKalb County Grand Jury returned a sealed indictment charging Stanford with reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm into an occupied habitation. He later surrendered at the DeKalb County Jail and was released on a $10,000 bond after his January arraignment.

Authorities said the shots occurred during an attempt to take 28-year-old Caleb Brookins and Jessica Root into custody in connection with a triple-murder investigation out of Warren County. During the encounter, Hannah McKenzi Rose, 21, of Antioch, reportedly rammed a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office truck before attempting to flee with Brookins as a passenger. Stanford then fired toward Rose’s vehicle; no one in the vehicle was struck. Investigators determined a bullet passed through a patio chair at a nearby home and lodged in a living room wall, endangering the family inside.

The indictment states that Stanford “intentionally and recklessly discharged a handgun,” noting there was no immediate threat to him or others. Brookins fled on foot that night and was arrested hours later; he was unarmed at the time. Stanford’s next scheduled court date is Nov. 24, the deadline to enter a plea. If no plea is entered, attorneys are expected to argue motions that day; a previously set Jan. 7 trial date was later continued.

Letter Released by Bryant C. Dunaway, District Attorney General, 13th Judicial District (verbatim):

RESIGNATION OF CHRISTOPHER STANFORD
October 11, 2025

Christopher Stanford is currently under indictment in DeKalb County TN charged with the offense of Reckless Endangerment.

As a partial resolution of the case, Stanford has resigned his position as the elected District Attorney for the 31st Judicial District comprised of Warren and Van Buren Counties.

By letter dated October 10, 2025, Mr. Stanford’s attorney informed Governor Lee of Stanford’s resignation with a stated effective date of October 31, 2025.

The trial currently set for January 7, 2026 in Dekalb County will be continued to a future date by order to be entered by Judge Bray.

Since the litigation is not fully resolved yet, no further comment can be made at this time.

Bryant C. Dunaway
District Attorney General
13th Judicial District

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