A man with a rifle sticking out of his backpack was arrested at the Fentress County Fair last Saturday (08/26/2023). According to a Press Release from the Fentress County Sheriff’s Office, a Deputy on patrol at the Fentress County Fairgrounds was approached by two juveniles stating they had seen the man. A few moments later another Deputy was approached by members of the Fair Board stating they had seen a male subject with a rifle. Deputies with the Fentress County Sheriff’s Office along with Patrolmen from the Jamestown Police Department approached the subject in question beside the Ferris Wheel. He was identified as 33-year-old Rikki Long from Jamestown, TN. Deputies retrieved a backpack that contained a semi-automatic weapon with no magazine in the weapon, but a magazine was in the backpack. Two Females then approached a patrolman and stated they saw the male subject remove the gun from his backpack and cock it. During the process of securing the subject, an Officer was approached by a female subject who stated she had been told that there was a possible bomb located on the fair’s midway. Deputies and City Officers then evacuated the fairgrounds and notified ATF. ATF responded with a bomb dog and the fairgrounds were cleared with no indication of a bomb. Mr. Long was taken to the Fentress County Sheriff’s Office and placed on a $25,000 bond. It is not clear from the Press Release what Mr. Long was charged with. (Photo courtesy Fentress County Sheriff’s Office)
