News 2 has obtained the body cam video of the Cheatham County officer-involved shooting that killed Beth Plant, mother of boxing champ Caleb Plant.
It shows the tense situation facing Sgt. Paul Ivey on Mar. 9, just before 1 a.m.
According to TBI investigators, the incident started in the early morning hours of Saturday, Mar. 9, a 911 call was made Saturday morning to request an ambulance for Beth Plant, 51.
Plant had been staying with a friend, who informed deputies Plant was not making sense and getting worse.
The video shows a deputy checking checks Plant’s I.D. She’s then met by emergency responders.
“Is anything bothering you,” an EMT questioned Plant. “You’re really weak.”
Medics in the ambulance did not know Plant had a knife. And at some point en route to the hospital, she pulled out that knife from a backpack.
Eventually, Plant is shown on video leaving with EMT’s, walking carefully to an ambulance.
According to the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office, things took a dark turn inside the ambulance, on the road to Vanderbilt. Plant pulled a knife from her backpack and started stabbing the windows.
The medic driving pulled over at New Hope Road and Highway 41A and called for help.
Cheatham County deputies responded to the scene.
The video of the moments leading up to the actual shooting may be unsettling.
You can hear the voices of Sgt. Ivey and Beth Plant.
“Ma’am come here, come here ma’am, she got a knife?”
As Plant approaches Ivey with a knife in her hand Ivey yells at her to drop the knife 8 times.
“Drop the knife, drop it right now,” Sgt. Ivey ordered her.
She can be heard saying “stay away,” as Sgt. Ivey forcefully warns her.
Then you hear 2 gunshots. (News 2 and WKRN.com will not show video of the actual shooting)
Plant was transported to a Nashville hospital where she died.
The TBI investigated the shooting and detailed events leading to the fatal encounter.
News 2 has learned Sgt. Ivey was put on leave for 3 days but has since returned to work.
District Attorney General Ray Crouch put out a news release explaining why he believes Sgt. Ivey’s use of deadly force was justified.
“In this case, Sgt. Ivey identified a knife in the hand of Ms. Plant. Sgt. Ivey recognized an immediate threat to himself and to the EMS employees standing near Ms. Plant. Sgt. Ivey directed Ms. Plant’s attention away from the EMS employees and toward himself. Sgt. Ivey announced that he would use deadly force, ordered Ms. Plant to drop the weapon and retreated.
The application of law to the facts and evidence gathered in this case lead me to conclude that Sgt. Ivey’s use of deadly force was justified.“
A TBI investigation remains open until the autopsy report is complete.
The facts of the case will go to a grand jury for review in May, as are officer-involved shootings that resulted in death or injury.
Before releasing the body cam video Friday, District Attorney General Ray Crouch invited the family of Beth Plant to watch it first. The family has not commented on the video.
Caleb Plant posted a heartfelt remembrance of his mother on Facebook shortly after the shooting. (click here to view from the News 2 app)
This is the second major tragedy in Plant’s life. Four years ago his daughter, Alia, who suffered from seizures, died at the age of 19 months from pneumonia.
Caleb Plant is from Ashland City and is the reigning IBF Super Middleweight World Boxing Champion. He won the title two months ago on January 13, 2019, defeating Jose Uzcategui.
