PUTNAM COUNTY, TN – On Saturday, February 2021, a shooting occurred at the Waste Transfer Station on Old Walton Road in Monterey TN, a Putnam County waste management facility. Officers with the Monterey Police Department initially arrived on site and secured the scene. Investigators with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office responded and began to investigate the circumstances of the shooting. The Tennessee Highway Patrol Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) assisted PCSO in scanning the scene.
13th Judicial District Attorney Bryant Dunaway stated, “The investigation revealed that there are surveillance video cameras on site. The incident was captured on video. Video footage shows Mr. Jimmy Doc Gibson and another man arrive at the facility in a white truck. Mr. Bruce Buckner later pulls up into the facility in a Jeep vehicle and stops in view of the facility surveillance camera. Jimmy Doc Gibson is seen on video walking over to the driver door of the Jeep. Bruce Buckner is shown sitting in the driver seat of the Jeep. Other individuals are also present at the facility and can be seen in the video. The actions of Gibson on the video show him appearing to challenge Buckner and at one point Gibson lunges towards Buckner. Gibson does appear to be handling an object in his hand, although the type of object cannot be determined from the video. Gibson is seen standing next to the Jeep window when he turns away from the Jeep holding his abdomen. Gibson is seen walking away from the Jeep and behind the large dumpster out of the view of the camera. Witnesses descriptions of the events are consistent with the video. Witnesses further describe Buckner telling Gibson to “Get away” as Gibson approached the vehicle. Witnesses also describe Gibson as challenging Buckner to get out of his car while Gibson opens a knife he is holding in his hand.
“Investigators found Gibson’s body found lying on the ground beside a white truck. Also found on the ground next to Gibson’s hand was a yellow folding blade knife. Bucker states that when he arrived at the facility in his Jeep vehicle, Gibson was already there. Gibson saw him sitting in the driver seat of his Jeep. Gibson came over to his vehicle and said, “You want to try me out for size?”. Buckner said he told Gibson to shut up and leave him alone. Buckner states that Gibson pulled a knife out and told him to “get out”. Buckner told Gibson he had a gun. Buckner states that Gibson just kept on and opened up his folding knife threatening to cut Buckner. It was then that Buckner shot his handgun one time, hitting Gibson. Bucker fired the gun while seated in the driver seat of the Jeep vehicle. As a result of the single gunshot wound, Gibson passed away.
“The statement of Bruce Buckner is consistent with the other witness accounts of the incident and is consistent with the surveillance video and the physical evidence collected during the investigation. The District Attorney’s Office has reviewed the investigative file produced by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Included in the investigative file are witness interviews, physical evidence as well as surveillance video. After a thorough review of the investigative results, the District Attorney’s Office has determined that the shooting of Mr. Jimmy Doc Gibson by Mr. Bruce Buckner to be an act of self-defense. As a result, no criminal charges are appropriate.”