KCSO sheriff apologizes, decides to retire Tucker Blakely’s unit number after it was reassigned

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler said he is making the decision to retire Deputy Tucker Blakely’s unit number, “Echo-19,” after it was reassigned, according to a post he made on social media.

Deputy Blakely was shot and killed while responding to a domestic call in 2023.

In the post, Sheriff Spangler said Blakely’s number was reassigned the first night back on rotation for the echo shift. He added he is currently looking into how this happened.

“‘Echo-19′ will remain retired in honor of Tucker Blakely," Sheriff Spangler said. “I sincerely apologize to the Blakely family for any pain this may have caused. We are committed to ensuring Tucker’s legacy is respected and properly honored at all times.”