Tiger on the loose in Knoxville, Tennessee

Tiger on the loose in Knoxville, Tennessee

Officials are searching for a tiger who was spotted in eastern Tennessee early Thursday, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said. Knoxville police dispatch said there have been three reported sightings of the animal around 7 a.m. Thursday near Thorngrove Pike in Knoxville, CBS affiliate WVLT reports.

WVLT reports crews were sent to the area to investigate. Overnight officials said they received multiple calls of possible sightings in the areas around John Sevier Highway near Thorngrove Pike and on Bales Lane.

Zoo Knoxville officials said the zoo is not missing any tigers and all tigers at the zoo were accounted for as of Thursday morning.

The sheriff’s office said Wednesday that officials with animal control, KPD, Air Watch, TWRA and Tiger Haven, a big cat rescue in Roane County, are “working to capture a tiger that was last spotted by a deputy in the Forks of the River Industrial Park.”

Tiger spotted in East Knox County. See link below to our News Room for more information. https://knoxsheriff.org/bolo-east-knox-tiger-alert/

Posted by Knox County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, September 9, 2020