A man wanted on felony warrants in Walker County and neighboring jurisdictions was at the center of a deadly officer-involved shooting that will not result in criminal charges, according to Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp.
Authorities say 38-year-old Erick Charles Roberson was wanted in Walker, Bradley and Hamilton counties at the time of the July 2025 incident, with felony warrants pending in both Walker and Bradley counties.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that the encounter began when an automatic license plate reader alerted deputies in Hamilton County to Roberson’s vehicle. Law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, which escalated in the drive-thru of a McDonald’s restaurant.
Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett said at the time that Roberson rammed a deputy’s patrol car, prompting deputies and Chattanooga Police officers to open fire. Investigators said Roberson died from his injuries, a finding later confirmed by a medical examiner’s report.
Following a review of the TBI investigation, Wamp announced Monday that no charges will be filed against the officers involved.
In a closing statement, Roberson’s family expressed frustration with the decision. His 20-year-old daughter said the family left a January 2026 meeting with the district attorney’s office feeling “disappointed and confused,” saying many of their questions went unanswered.
She also questioned the use of force, stating that officers “made the decision to shoot and kill a person in less than a minute” and calling her father’s death “brutal and inhumane.”
Officials have maintained that the shooting followed the suspect’s actions during the attempted stop. No additional details about departmental policy or use-of-force determinations were released.