NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: A Nashville family is seeking explanations after their relative was killed by FBI agents during an early morning raid.
The victim, a disabled veteran named Theodore Teddy Deschler, was allegedly unarmed when he was shot.
Deschler had been arrested previously as a suspect in a stabbing at a gas station in Tennessee in May. However, the reason for the FBI's targeted raid on him months later remains undisclosed.
Deschler killed amidst ongoing investigation
The incident occurred Wednesday, August 16 at Deschler's residence in Henderson, where he lived with his elderly mother.
The exact details of what unfolded during the operation are unclear due to a lack of specifics from federal authorities, who have classified it as part of an ongoing investigation.
The aftermath of the raid revealed substantial damage to the house, caused by tear gas, flashbangs, bullets, and broken windows.
The family contends that Deschler, who had served in the Army and was honorably discharged, was unarmed and posed no threat to the agents who arrived at 6.40 am. Russell Deschler, Teddy's older brother, is demanding explanations for the FBI's actions.
Agent response raises questions: 'It's none of your business'
According to WBBJ, when asked why they were at the residence, the agents responded, "It's none of your business."
Russell Deschler recounted to the Daily Mail how the FBI agents employed flashbangs, damaged the yard with their vehicles, shot at a refrigerator, and even knocked down a suspected camera.
"We believe they broke the windows of the garage so they could shoot," he said,
"He didn't have a weapon on him," Russell recalled, a day before starting an online fundraiser to cover what he calls the "severe destruction of [his] elderly Mothers home."
"He was just trying to get out of the house because it was filled with tear gas," he claimed. "You couldn't see."
He added: "The height of the door and where Teddy was standing when they shot him and killed him, you couldn't see if he was armed or not."
Blood stains unseen in images
"And you know he wasn't, because if you look at the door you could see where his hands were full of blood and went down the door," he continued, citing blood stains that were not seen in any of the now-circulating images.
The victim's mother, who was present during the raid, recalled her terror. She reported that FBI agents initially pounded on the front door, and when she answered, they took her out of the house and placed her in a police vehicle.
In her state of fear and confusion, she inquired about the situation but received no satisfactory response. The entire ordeal, as described by her, lasted around 15 minutes and culminated in Teddy being fatally shot.
Bystander describes scene
Alex Morris, a bystander, described what he saw to WBBJ, stating that he was awakened by a loud bang.
"Then I heard a couple more. I heard the loudspeakers, 'Come out with your hands up. We're the FBI. We're not going anywhere," Morris told WBBJ four days after the incident.
"Before I knew it," he continued, "I was coming out to see what was going on and watched them bust out their windows. I reckon they got him in there."
"The FBI is reviewing an agent-involved shooting which occurred today at approximately 6:40 a.m. while FBI SWAT was conducting an arrest operation in Henderson, TN," the bureau said. "The subject is deceased."
The agency added: "The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously."
"In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under review by the FBI's Inspection Division. As this is an ongoing matter, we have no further details to provide," they added.
Local authorities were reportedly not informed about the raid, causing concerns among relevant officials.
State senator seeks clarity
Speaking to the outlet, State Senator Page Walley of Savannah said, "I've been making some inquiries since I learned of it."
He added, "I've been on the phone with the Chester County Sheriff's Department, and the Henderson police. Neither the sheriff's department or the Henderson Police Department were informed by the FBI until after the event."
"It's a concern, and I'm doing what I can to glean information," Walley said. 'I'm going to keep making calls."
The FBI did not clarify if the raid was linked to another undisclosed occurrence involving the deceased earlier this spring.
In that incident, he was apprehended after a fatal stabbing at Murphy's Gas Station on May 6 in a neighboring area.
Specifics about this incident are yet to be revealed, and it's uncertain whether Deschler faced charges.
He was taken into custody at McNairy County Jail but had been released prior to the recent event.
Deschler has an extensive criminal history that predates his military service, with past arrests including charges such as aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
Meanwhile, the family continues to seek answers, even weeks after their loved one's death. Russell, who has raised almost $2,400 for home repairs, remarked that the authorities have indicated an ongoing investigation but have not provided any information to them.
