Knoxville police investigate off-duty cop who was punched out after making racist comments

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2021/07/07/kpd-investigates-off-duty-cop-who-punched-after-racist-comments/ [login to see] /
The Knoxville Police Department has opened an internal investigation into the conduct of an off-duty officer accused of making racist comments in a parking lot after a wedding two weeks ago.

The off-duty officer, Tanner Holt, is white. A police report says he repeatedly made racist remarks to a Black man who also was attending the wedding, including telling the man he "didn’t know they let Black people in the reception hall."

The man knocked out the officer with a punch to the face after he had warned him to quit making racist remarks. The man has not been charged with a crime.

The incident took place on June 26, just over a week after Knox News exclusively reported details about how Knoxville police commanders helped cover up an officer’s racist harassment in 2019. Six current and former officers told Knox News that the department tolerates a culture of racism.