On an autumn afternoon in Mosheim, Tennessee, a confrontation in a wooded area along Knight Hollow Lane ended in the shooting death of 42-year-old John J. McCann. The Greene County Sheriff's Office received a call about a shooting at approximately 3:40 p.m. on October 14, 2023. Upon their arrival, deputies discovered McCann deceased, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation that followed led to the arrest of 26-year-old Liam MacDonald-Gagnon of Johnson City, who was
subsequently charged with second-degree murder. According to reports, the events leading to the fatal encounter began earlier that day. MacDonald-Gagnon and his girlfriend, who was McCann's ex-girlfriend, noticed McCann aggressively following their vehicle on Pates Hill Road. The situation escalated when both parties ended up on Knight Hollow Lane. MacDonald-Gagnon stated that McCann was verbally aggressive, shouting at him to 'leave or he would declare war.' He also reported that McCann had blocked his vehicle and driven towards him in a threatening manner.
Further details emerged suggesting a history of conflict. McCann's ex-girlfriend informed investigators that they had broken up about two months prior and that he had been harassing and stalking her since the separation, including making threats and showing up at her residence. An active Order of Protection was reportedly in place against McCann. During the confrontation on Knight Hollow Lane, MacDonald-Gagnon, armed with a. 40-caliber pistol, said he approached McCann's vehicle. He claimed that after a continued argument, McCann reached toward his center console, at which point he fired what he believed to be twelve rounds at McCann.
In the ensuing legal process, the second-degree murder charge against Liam MacDonald-Gagnon was ultimately dismissed. A Greene County grand jury did not return a true bill on the murder charge, leading the prosecution to drop the case. MacDonald-Gagnon's attorney stated that his client and his girlfriend had been threatened and chased, and that McCann was 'high on meth' at the time. The attorney asserted that MacDonald-Gagnon had acted to defend himself and others.
