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Roads Back To Normal; Manchester Pike Man Experienced Crisis!

Mar 11, 2026 at 02:11 pm by WGNS

Photo at 2pm at South Church Street exit onto I-24

UPDATE

MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - A man armed with firearms and experiencing a crisis was taken into custody without injury Thursday on Manchester Highway, a Rutherford County Sheriff’s supervisor said.
 
Deputies responded to his home for a welfare check after he apparently suffered the crisis for three days, said Sgt. Nick Coble. They learned he threatened family members Wednesday.
 
While gathering information at a neighbor’s home, deputies heard multiple sounds of gunfire at the residence.
 
The house was located between Manchester Highway and close to Interstate 24.
Supervisors feared the man might randomly fire at travelers on the nearby interstate so as a precaution they closed Manchester Highway and requested Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers to close I-24.
 
Crisis Response Team deputies attempted to reach him by phone for negotiations but he didn’t answer.
 
Drone operators, K9 teams and the Sheriff’s and Murfreesboro Police SWAT Teams monitored his movement inside and outside the house and heard several more gunfire sounds from inside the home.
 
“SWAT took him into custody as he exited the house,” Coble said.
Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services paramedics and Rutherford County Fire-Rescue firefighters were on standby near the scene.
 
“All agencies worked together and had the best outcome we could have,” Coble said.
 
Charges are pending.

Original Story

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - Law enforcement operations have brought travel to a standstill along a heavily trafficked segment of Interstate 24 this afternoon.

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office issued an alert just before 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, confirming that the interstate is currently inaccessible heading toward Asheville. The affected area stretches from South Church Street to the Coffee County boundary.

In addition to the interstate blockage, local authorities have cordoned off Highway 41. The closure on the highway impacts the stretch between Big Springs Road and Epps Mill Road, with officials citing an "emergency situation" as the cause for the sudden restriction.

Data provided by the Tennessee Department of Transportation indicates that the disruption is centered near mile marker 97 in Coffee County. At that location, all westbound lanes and the left shoulder are currently obstructed by police activity.

Conflicting reports regarding the direction of the gridlock surfaced shortly after the initial incident. While some traffic maps indicated a westbound closure at mile marker 81 in Rutherford County, a spokesperson for TDOT suggested the eastbound lanes were the primary area of concern.

To mitigate the congestion, the Sheriff’s Office is directing motorists to utilize alternative paths. Drivers caught in the backup near mile marker 97 are encouraged to exit toward Wartrace and follow U.S. Highway 231 to navigate back toward Murfreesboro.

  • What This Story Is About: A significant stretch of Interstate 24 and portions of Highway 41 have been shuttered by law enforcement due to an ongoing emergency situation spanning the Rutherford and Coffee County lines.
  • Why It Matters: This closure affects one of the region's primary transit arteries, causing massive traffic delays for commuters and rerouting heavy commercial and local travel onto secondary roads.
  • What Happens Next: Authorities are working to resolve the "police activity" and will provide updates as lanes are cleared; however, no timeline for reopening has been established.
  • For Context: The disruption began midday Wednesday and involves multiple jurisdictions, including the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Tags: man experienced crisis RCSO Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services paramedics Rutherford County Fire & Rescue sections of I-24 closed sounds of gunfire SWAT THP
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