Inmate Holds Dozens Hostage at Sumner County Jail

Inmate Holds Dozens Hostage at Sumner County Jail

An inmate is back in prison after he escaped and purportedly held a number of people hostage at the Sumner County Jail, the dramatic incident involved an officer who was injured in the ordeal.

Gallatin Police reported that James McCutchen a 40-year-old was being booked into jail on charges of vandalism, violence and resisting arrest. He got into a scuffle with a Westmoreland officer at some point.
During the scuffle he managed to break free from the handcuffs and got into the driver seat of a patrol car, as the incident was unfolding an officer was dragged and got minor injuries.

When the accused was stopped by the security gate, he got out of the patrol car and grabbed a short gun.
He was encountered by a sheriff’s deputy who fired a shot after McCutchen allegedly raised the gun he was holding. When the deputy fired the shot the two were about 50 yards apart.

McCutchen missed the bullet and managed to get inside the visitors’ center where he encountered a number of people including children who had come to visit their loved ones.

According to witnesses who spoke to News Channel 5, there were about 30 people inside at the time of the incident.
Justin Perry a 10-year-old told News Channel 5 that they were sitting on the bench waiting for someone to come to the visitor’s desk when suddenly McCutchen walked in, he then ordered everyone to get on the ground and after about 10 minutes the police came in.
Another witness, Chris Whitaker who was in the visitors’ center with his family reported that his wife and daughter were standing right by the door when he came in, he then put the gun on his wife’s face and told her that she better locks the door or he would blow her head off.
McCutchen was taken down by a citizen and a corrections officer. He pointed the gun at a child, who made the citizen to rush and punch him on the face, said Sheriff Sonny Weatherford.

He was tackled and incarcerated until backup arrived at the scene.

After being incarcerated, McCutchen was re-booked on additional charges of 3 counts of aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping for each person in the visitor’s center. He was held on a $500,000 bond.
If it had not been for the civilian that stopped McCutchen, the situation could have gotten out of hand, said Whitaker. Whitaker proceeded to say that he owed his family’s life to him, expressing that there was no way he could than him for saving his family.
The Westmoreland officer whose identity is unknown is expected to be alright.