An internal investigation is ongoing, according to a Knoxville Police Department official, after an off-duty officer attended a wedding reception was punched unconscious for reportedly making racist comments to another guest.
Tanner Holt, an off-duty KPD officer, had attended a wedding with the suspect, Jonathan Toney. Witnesses told the responding officer that the two were chatting in the parking lot when the assault happened. According to Toney, Holt stated that he “didn’t realize they let black individuals in the reception hall.”
According to the report, Holt, who is caucasian, then told Toney that he was “part of the black community.” Toney reported that he repeatedly told Officer Holt to stop talking about race, but Holt persisted.
According to the complaint, Toney then hit Holt in the face once, knocking him senseless. Officials say two witnesses confirmed the statement, and a third said she didn’t really hear what was said but observed the assault. According to the investigation, all witnesses stated that Holt was inebriated at the time of the incident.
