Tennessee Man Charged with Multiple Attempted Murders

A Tennessee man, 54-year-old Kevin Wade O’Neill, is facing serious charges including multiple counts of attempted murder. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office reported that O’Neill was arrested on a Friday after allegedly threatening to kill local civil servants and law enforcement officials.

When law enforcement officers arrived at his home to take him into custody, they found something troubling—something was smoldering in the room where O’Neill was located. Upon further inspection, they suspected it to be an improvised explosive device (IED), which led to an immediate evacuation of the premises.

Subsequently, bomb squad members from the Chattanooga Police Department, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), conducted a search of O’Neill’s residence. Their findings were alarming; they discovered 14 IEDs during the search.

Interestingly, investigations suggest that O’Neill might have been on the verge of detonating the device as officers approached for the arrest. He faces nine counts of first-degree attempted murder, as the charges relate to the nine detectives and deputies involved in his apprehension.

In addition, there are two more counts of attempted murder for individuals who were present during the incident. O’Neill is also charged with 14 counts related to prohibited weapons, one for each IED found in his possession.

Currently, O’Neill is being held at the Polk County Jail as the legal proceedings unfold.