Lumpy says he wasn't armed during confrontation with citizen

Knox County Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert said he wasn't armed when he confronted a citizen during a public meeting. However, he is one of a small number of elected officials who can carry a gun in the City County Building.

Lambert appeared on 10 News at Five along with fellow Commissioner Richard Briggs on Tuesday. They discussed an incident during last week's commission meeting when Lambert left his seat to argue with a citizen in the audience. Both commissioners said they didn't want the incident to discourage anyone from attending meetings.

10 News also asked Lambert, who's been very public about owning a gun, if he carries one to commission meetings.

"It is not my practice," said Lambert. "I may have inadvertently. I am a bonded deputy through the Sheriff's Department, so I'm not going to say I've never accidentally carried a weapon into the courthouse."

The Knox County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Lambert is one of 12 special deputies in Knox County.

Special deputies have many of the same powers as regular deputies, but they aren't county employees. They're selected at the discretion of the sheriff and must pass a background check and annual firearm certification. They also have to arrange for a $50,000 bond so the county won't be liable for their actions.

Lambert said be became a special deputy after he received death threats and became a witness in a murder trial.