Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Police Chief David Rausch today awarded the department’s Lifesaving Award to Sgt. Kyle Loveday. Sgt. Loveday has been with KPD since August 2008.
In January 2017, Chief Rausch received a letter from a Knoxville resident recounting a horrific night in November that was nearly the last night this citizen would live before taking his own life. The male had been a long-term hard alcoholic for 30 years. The male had consumed more than his regular excess and had made an irrational decision to take his life with a firearm.
The male sent an email to a relative, a lawyer, asking her to prepare a will. He then called 911 and informed them of his intent with the purpose of having an officer nearby to eliminate any question of foul play. The male then loaded a single round into his semi-automatic handgun, walked to his driveway, put the gun to his head, and pulled the trigger. The gun clicked. He then ejected the unspent round and loaded another round into the weapon. This time he did a test fire into the ground which was successful. He returned to his house to retrieve a third round when he decided to end his life by swallowing 30 clonazepam pills on top of the excess alcohol he had already consumed.
First responders set up a perimeter knowing the citizen had a gun and had already fired the weapon. A relative of the citizen personally reached out to Sgt. Loveday to request help. Sgt. Loveday immediately responded to offer his assistance. Sgt. Loveday was able to establish communication with the citizen over the phone and had multiple conversations with him during the event. Between Sgt. Loveday and the assistance of a negotiator, the citizen came out of the house where he was then transported to a hospital for treatment.
After having a serious intervention with his family, the citizen checked himself into a detox and rehab center on December 1st. He is now sober, educated, and determined to make a whole new life for himself.
In the citizen’s letter, he said, “The credit to my being here should go to Sgt. Loveday and the effort, coordination and restraint he exercised in bringing same to a peaceful close and best possible outcome. Somehow the efforts of Sgt. Loveday turned everything out right.”
Click here to view a listing of KPD award winners.