Two juveniles arrested in death of Stanley Freeman Jr.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Knox Co. District Attorney, Mayor Kincannon and Chief Thomas announced arrests made in a recent shooting case in a press conference Monday, March 15.

According to Chief Thomas, two juvenile suspects have been arrested and charged with premeditated first-degree murder into the death of 16-year-old Stanley Freeman Jr. on February 12.

The suspects are a 14-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, officials said. The suspects have been in custody since February 16 and their identities are not being released at this time.

According to the Knoxville Police Department, both suspects were arrested on Feb. 16 for outstanding juvenile petitions charging them with two counts of attempted first-degree murder from a shooting that occurred on January 14 at around 2:30 p.m.

In the Jan. 14 incident, KPD says, the two suspects are alleged to have fired multiple rounds at a vehicle in the area of Magnolia Avenue and Cherry Street. No victims were struck by gunfire during that incident, but the vehicle was occupied by a 16-year-old male and an 18-year-old female.

According to officials in the investigation into the Jan. 14 shooting, evidence was uncovered that linked the same two suspects to the fatal shooting of Stanley Freeman Jr.

“We had to be careful with our evidence and worked in collaboration with the District Attorney’s office to link the evidence with the case,” said Knox Co. Sheriff Chief Thomas in a press conference.

In addition to the warrants for the February 12 shooting of Stanley Freeman Jr., the two suspects were also charged with two additional counts of attempted murder stemming from a shooting incident that occurred on February 7, 2021 in the 1900 block of Woodbine Avenue involving a 41-year-old male and an unnamed juvenile. Neither victim was struck by gunfire in that incident.

The motive of the shooting remains undetermined and under investigation at this time.

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