April 28 (UPI) — Seven people were found dead in two homes in rural middle Tennessee, including an additional two bodies discovered one day later on Sunday, and a person of interest was taken into custody.
Michael Cummins, 25, was detained after being found at a nearby location, during which one of the nearly two dozen officers from Sumner County’s SWAT team shot him, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The suspect was transported to a hospital with injuries, which TBI doesn’t believe were life threatening.
Four homicide victims initially were found in one home and another person at a nearby house Saturday night. On Sunday, investigators discovered an additional two bodies while processing the scene, according to a Twitter post.
“Efforts to identify the victims remain ongoing at this time,” the department tweeted.
Sumner County is 25 miles northeast of Nashville on the central northern border with Kentucky.
Early Saturday night, authorities responding to a 911 call from a family member, found four bodies and an injured victim, who was taken to a hospital. Authorities then learned of another deceased person at a nearby home.
During the investigation, authorities determined Cummins was a suspect in both crimes.
Law enforcement agencies from across the region, searched for Cummins, including using TBI employed its aircraft.
“There would potentially plenty of places for [Cummins] to … hide for the night,” TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said at a news conference in describing the heavily wooded area.
In a creek bed approximately one mile from the first scene, the search plane appeared to locate the individual. Officers were dispatched to the scene.
“The situation escalated, for reasons under investigation, and resulted in at least one officer firing his service weapon, striking Cummins,” the TBI said. No officers were injured.
“TBI Agents and forensic scientists continue to gather relevant evidence and interviews in support of both the homicide investigations and the investigation into the officer-involved shooting,” the TBI said. “Efforts to identify the motive in the homicides, along with Cummins’ relationships with the victims remains ongoing.”
All investigative findings will be forwarded to the district attorney general, TBI said.
