Oneida Man Charged Following Bear Creek Shooting

Oneida, TN (2011-10-29) Three persons were injured—one critically—in an overnight shooting at a chicken house on Bear Creek Road in Oneida. The suspected shooter is in jail.

Chris Marcum, Ben Cooper, and Dustin Hatfield, all of Oneida, were reportedly wounded following an incident at an abandoned chicken house on Bear Creek Road in Oneida around 9:30 p.m. Saturday night. The trio, stated authorities, was among some 28 persons who had gathered at the former chicken house to celebrate Halloween.

Greg Potter, 54, of Oneida has been arrested in the shooting, accused of firing a high-powered rifle at Cooper and Marcum, and into the structure, resulting in minor injury to Hatfield. According to Chief Daryl Laxton of the Oneida Police Department, Potter allegedly encountered Cooper outside the structure and shot at him once, striking him in the neck. Potter then allegedly fired randomly into the structure. After the shooting started, Marcum reportedly went to the entrance of the building. When Marcum opened the door, Potter allegedly turned the weapon on him, firing once and striking him in the chest. At some point, Potter is also accused of firing into a pickup near the scene, narrowly missing the driver, identified as Wesley Cross of Oneida, and two passengers.

Following the shooting, a contingency of officers from the Oneida Police Department converged on the scene. After talking with eyewitness, authorities gathered enough information to tentatively identify the suspect and his vehicle.

In a collaborative effort with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, authorities learned Potter may have gone to an abandoned house in the Low Gap Community, which he was reportedly known to frequent. Chief Laxton, Sheriff Mike Cross and Andy Lewallen of the Oneida Police Department went to the home in the early morning hours, locating a truck matching the suspect’s vehicle outside. As officers exited the vehicle, someone inside the residence fired a single shot toward them.

Over the course of the next hour, more officers continued to arrive at the scene. Eventually, Sheriff Cross talked Potter into surrendering. The suspect was taken into custody at 2:16 a.m. by Chief Laxton, Drug Agent Kris Lewallen, Sgt. Danny Phillips and Deputy Toby Hutson of the Scott County Sheriff’s Department.

After obtaining a search warrant, authorities reportedly recovered a Winchester 30-30 rifle, ammunition, and a spent shell casing from the house.

Investigator Blake Murphy of the Oneida Police Department is leading the investigation. Murphy was assisted on scene by fellow officers William Angel, Michael Blaker, and Floyd Sexton.

Deputy Jared Jeffers also assisted on the scene in the Low Gap community.

Potter was initially booked at the Oneida Police Department on nine counts of aggravated assault and twenty eight counts of reckless endangerment. He was later transported to the Scott County Jail, where he’s currently being held under a $500,000 bond.