Tennessee deputy in critical condition after suspect attacked cop with rock on live TV

A Tennessee sheriff's deputy is in critical condition after being allegedly assaulted by a shooting suspect he was pursuing on Saturday, a harrowing incident that was captured during a live broadcast of the police-themed television show "On Patrol: Live."

Dalton Swanger, a Knox County Sheriff's Deputy, was struck in the head with a rock or a brick by the 44-year-old subject, identified as Christopher Hensley, who authorities had been pursuing over his alleged involvement in a Knoxville neighborhood shooting, Law and Crime reported. Swanger's body could be observed on TV going limp, resulting in his fellow officers carrying him out of a dark wooded area behind a home, which is where authorities located Hensley.


Deputy Swanger

According to the sheriff's office, Hensley began attacking officers with rocks and other projectiles after they identified themselves. He could be heard in the background, cursing at the officers. After entering the wooden area, Swanger was seen immediately falling to the ground after being struck in the head by Hensley, as shown in the video.

"The entire studio went silent as we watched what happened next. His mates dragging him to safety to render aid," said the show's co-host Tom Rizzo in a statement posted to Facebook. "As Dalton tried to regain his feet, he says, '"I'm going to be heavy.'"

Fellow deputies could be seen dragging Swanger's limp body out of the woods by his arms. Swanger was responsive at the time and attempted to brush off the injury; however, he became immediately unresponsive after making it out of the woods.


Deputies dragged Swanger's limp body out of the woods

Swanger was transported to the Tennessee Medical Center, where he remains in the intensive care unit (ICU), Law and Crime reported. The Knox County Sheriff's Office issued a post on Facebook on Monday, which stated that Swanger was still in the ICE but has managed to move "all of his limbs." The agency said that Swanger was making "minor yet significant improvements." A GoFundMe has been set up for Swanger, which has amassed more than $80,000.

Hensley was taken into custody on charges including attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault on a first responder, possession of a firearm with intent to go armed, and manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance.