Blount County, Tennessee, residents are still reeling from the tragic death of Blount County Sheriff’s Department deputy Greg McCowan who was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Feb. 8.
McCowan was killed when 42-year-old Kenneth Dehart opened fire on him and his partner, Shelby Eggers, according to WATE News. Eggers is recovering from her wounds. She is the daughter of Tennessee Baptist pastor Travis Eggers of West Maryville Baptist Church.
Jim Snyder, director of missions for Chilhowee Baptist Association, said the entire community rallied around the deceased deputy’s family and the sheriff’s department.
‘Tight-knit community’
“Blount County is a tight-knit community and it was demonstrated by the response of our residents,” Snyder said.
Snyder added that the tragedy has brought “a heightened awareness” of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and the sacrifices they make.
The tragedy especially impacted East Maryville Baptist Church, said pastor Keith Johnson.
He noted the church has had a longstanding relationship with the Blount County Sheriff’s Department.
The department’s chief deputy, Jeff French, is a member and deacon, and Summer Russell, director of education and community outreach for the church, is a chaplain for the Sheriff’s Department.
A number of other law enforcement officers in the county are members at East Maryville, Johnson said.
Sharing their grief
For a number of years, the church has opened its facilities up to the Sheriff’s Department to be used for graduation of new officers for Blount County and surrounding counties from the regional law enforcement training academy and for training exercises for the Sheriff’s Department. The church has recently started providing meals for the training events, Johnson said.
When word spread about the murdered deputy, the church opened its doors to the Sheriff’s Department on the night of Feb. 8 and the following day so officers could gather for counseling and the opportunity to share their grief with each other.
Johnson and other staff members were present during the two days to minister as needed as were other pastors in Blount County who serve as chaplains.
The pastor noted a law enforcement official from another county told him he had graduated from the academy at the church and had trained there as well.
“He told me, ‘This church has meant more to me than I could ever express in words,’ ” Johnson said.
‘Light in the darkness’
On Feb. 11, Johnson thanked the congregation for their support and help following the tragedy.
“We recognized the risks our law enforcement officers take every day,” he said. Johnson also led a prayer for protection for the officers who were involved in the manhunt.
In the days while the search was still on for the suspect, church members provided bottled water and energy drinks for law enforcement officers involved in the search, Johnson said.
People lined the streets in Maryville as a procession of law enforcement officers escorted McCowan from Sevier Heights Baptist Church in Knoxville, where his funeral was held.
Johnson watched the processional. “It was overwhelming to see the community show its support and love and grieve the loss of a person who had served his community so faithfully.”
He noted the incident which happened just a few weeks before his scheduled retirement at the end of February is a reminder of a world that is dark and filled with sin.
“The church must be a light in the darkness,” Johnson said.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Lonnie Wilkey and originally published by Baptist and Reflector.
