Officers shoot man armed with knife on Nashville highway

37-year-old Landon Eastep was shot by police after around 30 minutes of negotiations with officers.

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Hannah Nightingale Washington DC
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On Thursday, nine police officers fatally shot a man on a Tennessee highway who was reportedly armed with a knife after pleading with him to drop it.

37-year-old Landon Eastep was shot by police after around 30 minutes of negotiations with officers, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

The incident began at around 2 pm on Thursday after officers saw Eastep on the shoulder of Interstate 65 northbound at mile marker 76.

The trooper stopped to talk with him, but the conversation escalated to a point where Eastep produced a box cutter, according to authorities.

As negotiations continued, backup officers from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and additional Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers arrived on the scene, as well as an off-duty Mount Juliet Police Department officer.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, "At one point, the man appears to adjust his stance and reach for what was later identified as a metal cylindrical object at his waist."

It was at this point that at least nine officers shot at Eastep, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said that they would be investigating the events that led up to the shooting.

On Friday, Tennessee authorities released body cam footage of the incident, showing officers attempting to negotiate with Eastep, according to Fox News.

Footage shows the man standing in the roadway as the officers, who have their guns drawn, shout to him: "Landon … let me help you out. You will not end up in jail … Don’t do it … Whatever you’re worried about, we can fix it. Let us get you some help though."

One of the officers can be heard asking Eastep to drop the knife. As Eastep walks closer to the officers, one officer can be heard saying, "Just drop the knife, brother. Let’s help you out … Please brother."

"Please drop it, brother," he says. "This is not the answer … we don't want to hurt you."

Moments before the shooting, officers can be heard pleading, "Don't do it," as Eastep pulled his right hand out of his pocket or from behind him.

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