Chattanooga man arrested for shooting on Grace Avenue

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – A shooting suspect is now in custody after police caught the man standing over the victim with a gun pointed at him.

Darrell Fearn, 41, of Chattanooga has been arrested and charged with:

• Attempted first degree murder
• Aggravated assault
• Child abuse and neglect
• Reckless endangerment

According to the arrest affidavit, a Chattanooga police officer who responded to a shots fired call in the 3800 block of Grace Avenue witnessed Fearn standing over a gunshot victim who was identified as Dean Carroll. According to the officer, Fearn was pointing a gun at Carroll.

When the officer gave Fearn an order to drop his weapon, Fearn reportedly passed the weapon off to his son who was standing next to him. News 12 is not identifying the son because he is considered a minor. His son began to run away with the weapon in his hand and eventually threw it away after police ordered the boy to put the weapon down.

While at the hospital, Carroll told investigators, he went to Fearn’s house to speak to him about disrespecting his wife. Fearn and Carrol’s wife both have child together. 

Carroll also told investigators that when he walked up to Fearn’s front door, he heard a gun being cocked. Carroll stated to police that he and Fearn got into a verbal altercation that escalated to violence when he turned to leave and Fearn shot at him several times. 

According to the arrest affidavit, Fearn chased Carroll and continued to shoot at him until Carroll was finally struck by a bullet. 

When investigators questioned Fearn about what happened, he not only told them he had nothing to hide and admitted that he came out the house with a gun in his hand. He told police that all his children were outside the home when Carroll began to be disrespectful. He also told police that he shot Carroll when Carroll told him that he could have shot Fearn at any time in the past. 

According to the arrest affidavit, Fearn told police he shot at Carroll several times and began to chase after him. 

Because children were present during the altercation, Fearn was charged with reckless endangerment as well as child abuse.

His bond was set at $197,500. 

Fearn is expected in court on September 1.

Back in 1995, Fearn plead guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm.