(CNN) A manhunt was underway in Tennessee Wednesday for a man suspected of fatally shooting a sheriff's deputy responding to a suspicious vehicle report, authorities said.
Steven Joshua Wiggins was identified initially as a person of interest and later as a suspect in Wednesday morning's shooting of Dickson County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Daniel Baker, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation acting director Jason Locke said.
Baker, a 10-year law enforcement veteran, had responded to a resident's 911 call about a suspicious vehicle about 7 a.m. in Dickson County -- just over 40 miles west of Nashville, TBI spokeswoman Susan Niland said.
After a period of not being able to contact the deputy, Baker's vehicle was tracked with GPS in a wooded area about 2 miles from the location of the initial call by an officer from another agency, Locke said. Baker was dead in his vehicle.
NEW PICTURE: Here's a more recent photograph of Steven Wiggins, from a 2017 arrest in Williamson County. pic.twitter.com/qDSMgKBNMN — TBI (@TBInvestigation) May 30, 2018
"You can see what can transpire from something that we think is just a suspicious vehicle," an emotional Dickson County Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe told reporters.
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CLOSE The TBI's Susan Niland gives an update on the shooting death of Sgt. Daniel Baker of the Dickson Co. Sheriff's Office, and the search for suspect Steven Wiggins. Emily West, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Steven Wiggins mugshot from a 2017 arrest in Williamson County (Photo: TBI)
Police are searching for a man they say killed a Dickson County Sheriff's Office deputy on Wednesday morning.
A manhunt is underway.
Here's what we know so far.
More: Dickson County deputy shot and killed in altercation, search for suspect underway
More: Steven Wiggins, Dickson County shooting suspect, has long record of violent crimes in Tennessee
What happened
The Tennessee Highway Patrol says suspect Steven Wiggins shot and killed a DCSO deputy on Wednesday morning.
According to officials, Wiggins was involved in an early morning altercation with the deputy after a suspicious vehicle was reported in Kingston Springs.
Contact was lost with the deputy, and the sheriff's office tracked his vehicle and found him deceased inside.
Sgt. Daniel Baker (Photo: File photo)
Who is the deputy?
Authorities have identified the deputy as 32-year-old Sgt. Daniel Scott Baker.
At an afternoon news briefing, a visibly shaken Dickson County Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe called Baker one of their "best deputies."
"It is my prayer to God that our court will be a terror to [Wiggins] with the punishment he receives."
Baker was employed with the DCSO on February 18, 2008. He graduated from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Academy as a certified officer on August 1 of that year.
Baker became a Patrol Corporal on April 3, 2011 and then became a Patrol Sergeant on Sept. 9, 2012. He joined the Dickson County S.O.R.T. team on August 19, 2013.
He leaves behind a wife and a daughter.
More: Sgt. Daniel Baker, slain Dickson deputy, once rescued a trapped woman, caught drunken gunman
CLOSE Sgt. Daniel Baker, a Marine who became a deputy for the Dickson County Sheriff's Department, was fatally shot early Wednesday morning. Brett Kelman, The Tennessean
Be on the lookout
Steven Wiggins has been added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Top 10 Most Wanted list.
He is considered armed and dangerous.
Authorities urge anyone who spots him to call 911.
A $7,500 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest.
More: Here's why your phone keeps buzzing with Steven Wiggins alerts
What is a Tennessee Blue Alert?
At approximately 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., mobile devices in Tennessee rang with a Tennessee Blue Alert, containing information about Wiggins.
Blue Alerts are similar to AMBER Alerts, but used in cases in which a law enforcement officer has been killed or seriously injured in the line-of-duty, according to TBI.
Your cell phone may have just alerted you to a Tennessee Blue Alert.
It's similar to an AMBER Alert, but used in cases in which a law enforcement officer has been killed or seriously injured in the line-of-duty.
MORE DETAILS: https://t.co/cBhAwnXcZI — TBI (@TBInvestigation) May 30, 2018
There are five criteria that must be met in order for a Blue Alert to be issued:
A sworn law enforcement officer is killed, sustains life threatening injuries or the officer is missing in the line of duty under circumstances warranting concern for the law enforcement officer's safety.
The suspect or suspects pose an imminent threat to public safety and law enforcement personnel
A description of the offender or vehicle is available for statewide broadcast to the public and law enforcement 911 centers.
Prior to activation, if the suspect or suspects are identified, the requesting agency will immediately place the suspect in the temporary felon file in the National Crime Information Center and obtain felony warrants as soon as possible or within 24 hours.
The head of any Tennessee law enforcement agency, Colonel of the Highway Patrol, Chief, Sheriff or their designee of the investigating law enforcement agency of jurisdiction requests the TBI to activate the Blue Alert system.
TBI began issuing these alerts on July 1, 2011.
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Steven Wiggins' mugshot from a 2017 arrest in Williamson County. (Photo: TBI)
Tennesseans phones have been blaring with alerts about Steven Wiggins all day.
Wiggins is a suspect in the fatal shooting of a Dickson County Sheriff's Office deputy Wednesday.
A statewide manhunt is underway.
More: Sgt. Daniel Baker, slain Dickson deputy, once rescued a trapped woman, caught drunken gunman
More: What we know about Steven Wiggins and the Dickson County deputy shooting
The alerts are Blue Alerts, sent out like Amber Alerts in cases where a law enforcement officer has been killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.
Your cell phone may have just alerted you to a Tennessee Blue Alert.
It's similar to an AMBER Alert, but used in cases in which a law enforcement officer has been killed or seriously injured in the line-of-duty.
MORE DETAILS: https://t.co/cBhAwnXcZI — TBI (@TBInvestigation) May 30, 2018
So far the alerts have been sent with the suspect's name and description, as well as that he is considered armed and dangerous. No other information is provided.
"STEVEN WIGGINS*ARMED AND DANGEROUS W/ M BROWN HAIR/EYES**6'1,220 855-ALERTTBI," the alerts read.
According to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine, the alerts are limited to 90 characters.
Appreciate the feedback, Mike. We only had 90 characters to use and quickly had to make decisions about what to pass along. We're gathering all the feedback and will fold that in with our review effort on the back end, as we always look to improve. — Josh DeVine (@TBIJoshDeVine) May 30, 2018
Residents across Tennessee have been voicing their frustration that the alerts don't provide much context other than a name.
These emergency alerts need to be more specific. Is Steve Wiggins on my porch or is he 2.5 hours away? pic.twitter.com/TgrLSMASif — Carli (@ItsameaCarli) May 30, 2018
The @TBInvestigation alerts would be so much more helpful if a general location was given instead of freaking out everyone in TN. Instead, everyone in TN googled Steven Wiggins simultaneously. — Tracy Hughes (@TheTracyHughes) May 30, 2018
Tennessee keeps sending out an alert on Steve Wiggins being armed and dangerous but okay are we looking at Memphis or Bristol? Do I need a baseball bat and a taser or is a locked door good. I NEED ANSWERS — Beca Zlatan (@BecaDonahue) May 30, 2018
There are five criteria that must be met in order for a Blue Alert to be issued:
A sworn law enforcement officer is killed, sustains life-threatening injuries or the officer is missing in the line of duty under circumstances warranting concern for the law enforcement officer's safety.
The suspect or suspects pose an imminent threat to public safety and law enforcement personnel.
A description of the offender or vehicle is available for statewide broadcast to the public and law enforcement 911 centers.
Prior to activation, if the suspect or suspects are identified, the requesting agency will immediately place the suspect in the temporary felon file in the National Crime Information Center and obtain felony warrants as soon as possible or within 24 hours.
The head of any Tennessee law enforcement agency, Colonel of the Highway Patrol, Chief, Sheriff or their designee of the investigating law enforcement agency of jurisdiction requests the TBI to activate the Blue Alert system.
TBI began issuing these alerts on July 1, 2011, but this is only the second alert they've sent, according to DeVine.
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CLOSE Dickson County Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe speaks about Sgt. Daniel Baker, the deputy who was fatally shot May 30, 2018. Emily West, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Steven Wiggins mugshot from a 2017 arrest in Williamson County (Photo: TBI)
The subject of a statewide manhunt has a long history of violent crimes in Tennessee and had multiple active warrants for his arrest before authorities say he shot and killed a Dickson County Sheriff's deputy Wednesday morning.
Police have identified the shooting suspect as 31-year-old Steven Wiggins.
The deputy has been identified as 32-year-old Sgt. Daniel Baker.
More: Sgt. Daniel Baker, slain Dickson deputy, once rescued a trapped woman, caught drunken gunman
More: What we know about Steven Wiggins and the Dickson County deputy shooting
Most recently, Wiggins was charged with assault causing bodily injury to another person in October 2017 in Williamson County. The charge, a misdemeanor, was dismissed by Williamson County Magistrate Denise Andre.
In July 2016, Wiggins was arrested at the Fairview Inn after holding a woman described as his girlfriend at knife point. Both Dickson County sheriff’s deputies and Fairview police responded to the call. The deputies coaxed the knife from Wiggins when Fairview police arrived on the scene and ordered Wiggins to put his hands behind his back, which he refused.
Wiggins was tased twice by the officers during the incident, at one point pulling out the taser barbs and charging officers, an affidavit says. Officers took him to the ground and had him transported to the hospital.
More: Here's why your phone keeps buzzing with Steven Wiggins alerts
More: Dickson County sergeant shot and killed in altercation, search for suspect underway
“During transport to the hospital, Mr. Wiggins became combative with (an officer), and the ambulance had to stop, and backup was called to the scene,” the arrest affidavit says.
Wiggins pleaded guilty to especially aggravated kidnapping, assault and false imprisonment and was sentenced to five years of probation in December, but failed to report to his probation officer.
In a violation of probation affidavit from April 19, Wiggins’ “current whereabouts are unknown,” his probation officer said. Two days later, Williamson County Circuit Court Judge Michael Binkley signed a warrant for his arrest.
Wiggins has another outstanding warrant for his arrest in Dickson County after he failed to appear in Dickson County General Sessions Court, which stems from a charge of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in February.
In 2007 and 2008, he was charged with domestic assault by the Dickson County Sheriff's Office and Dickson Police Department and later convicted, according to TBI records.
He was also charged with misdemeanor domestic assault in 2006; that charge was later dismissed.
Reach Elaina Sauber at esauber@tennessean.com, 615-571-1172 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.
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