Man Accused Of Weekend Shootings In Knoxville Is A Repeat Offender

Image Credit: Knox County Sheriff’s Office / Canva

The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

The man accused of being the gunman in back-to-back Knoxville murders this weekend has a lengthy criminal record and was arrested just four days before those shooting deaths.

Robert T. Scruggs, 28, is currently being held in Knox County awaiting his court appearance for the murders. 

At the time of his arrest, he was also wanted by Monroe County authorities for alleged theft, auto burglary, vandalism, and aggravated criminal trespassing. Monroe County officials said they were unaware of his whereabouts until finding out that he had been arrested in Knox County.

Scruggs’ criminal history began in 2010. He was previously arrested in Knox County for assault, trespassing, resisting arrest, and theft. 

On the morning of May 18, Knoxville Police responded to a shooting at Anderson Automotive and Towing. There they found Claude Johnson with a gunshot wound. He was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

They also responded to a shooting in the 400 block of North Broadway, where another victim was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead as well.

After investigating, officers were able to locate Johnson’s stolen Kia Sorento near 902 Morningside Drive, with Scruggs hiding nearby. He had the keys to the car on him, as well as a firearm stolen from Johnson.

Just four days earlier, on May 14, Scruggs had been arrested for breaking into an apartment after he was caught squatting in a vacant building on Clinch Avenue.

He had also been arrested on April 26 for criminal trespassing at a church located at 900 Henley Street.

Prior to this, Scruggs was at a recovery facility where he was discovered to have a knife. When responders arrived at the scene of that incident, he refused to follow commands and also assaulted a K9.