KNOXVILLE, TN – Earlier in June, a Knox County deputy reportedly filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against a 45-year-old man currently facing charges for a June 2025 incident where authorities allege the defendant nearly killed the deputy with a hurled rock that struck the deputy’s head.
Deputy Dalton Swanger was alongside other Knox County deputies during a filming of “On Patrol: Live” on June 21st, 2025, when he reportedly suffered a near-fatal attack stemming from a thrown rock while responding to reported gunfire amidst a wooded area that evening.
Another deputy, identified as Matt Kirchner, was also reportedly struck by a rock during the incident; however, the injury Deputy Swanger endured led to a stay in the hospital for several days and being off duty for nearly a year to fully recover. A suspect, identified as Christopher M. Hensley, was taken into custody and subsequently charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, domestic assault, and other various drug charges.
While lawsuits filed by first responders against private citizens stemming from injuries sustained in the course of their professional duties are typically dismissed due to a legal doctrine known as the “Firefighter’s Rule,” there are limited exceptions when the injury was sustained via “intentional, malicious, or reckless acts.”
Hensley remains in custody on the aforementioned charges related to the incident, with his next court date on the case set for this October. As for “On Patrol: Live,” the Knox County Sheriff’s Office officially ended their relationship with the program earlier in June.
Looking back on the incident captured on camera, Deputy Swanger acknowledged that while the near-fatal attack “was one of the most difficult seasons of my life,” he proclaimed that his overall experience with the film crew afforded “something I’ll always look back on with gratitude.”
When addressing the response to his sustained injuries that went viral last summer, Deputy Swanger said that despite the negative light law enforcement endures from skewed media coverage and activists, the outpouring of support from strangers across the country filled him with newfound hope.
“You stood beside me. You prayed for me. You donated money that you worked hard for, so I could focus on healing. You sent letters filled with encouragement, kindness, and hope when I needed it most. Every single one of you who reached out went far beyond anything I could have ever imagined,” Deputy Swanger stated.
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