KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville police arrested a man Monday after they said he attacked and strangled his girlfriend multiple times and later strangled an officer.
According to the arrest report, KPD officers arrived at an apartment on Manor View Drive Monday around 11 a.m. to respond to a domestic incident.
The victim told officers her boyfriend, 36-year-old Alex Thompson, had beat her and threatened her, and as officers entered they said he drove off in her vehicle after apparently jumping off the apartment balcony.
Officers said the victim had obviously been injured and had an extremely swollen arm that she said happened after Thompson punched her repeatedly. KPD said she also had scratches on her neck, a knot on the back of her head, a bloody nose, and scratches on her face, chest and hands.
The woman told officers Thompson had been strangling her since 3 a.m. that morning, saying he picked her up by the neck multiple times and slammed her down.
The victim said Thompson would strangle her for about 15 minutes each time until she lost consciousness, and officers said she had a raspy voice that she believed was caused by being strangled multiple times.
KPD said the victim told them he had come at her with a knife and threatened to kill her her "countless times." The woman said she was not allowed to leave the apartment because Thompson would not let her go -- saying he told her he'd kill her and her family if she left.
The victim said she was able to escape after she saw Thompson go onto the balcony to smoke, saying she got help from a neighbor to call 911.
AMR took the woman to UT Medical Center for treatment.
A few hours later around 3 p.m., officers returned to the apartment and found Thompson. The officer said Thompson then grabbed him and began strangling him. The officer was able to break free, but said Thompson grabbed his vest and began to choke him by pulling the straps across his neck.
During the struggle, another officer said Thompson pushed her into a glass side table, causing injuries to her head. She then used a stun gun on him, and officers were able arrest Thompson.
Thompson is facing several charges, including theft, aggravated domestic assault, aggravated assault of an officer, assault on a first responder, false imprisonment, and criminal trespassing. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.