KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville Police Department lieutenant died Thursday morning after years on the force, and after responding to regions across the world impacted by disaster and tragedy. The police department announced Steve Tinder's death on social media and said he was among the people who traveled to New York City after the 9/11 attacks.
He was part of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team. For weeks, Tinder dug through debris working to find human remains. He worked alongside another person from KPD — Art Bohanan. They inspected, inventoried and sent off human remains for testing that were found at Ground Zero.
Both men also said they suffered health effects from exposure to the smoke, toxic dust and debris. Tinder had endured several rounds of cancer, according to a previous conversation with WBIR in 2021. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated around 400,000 people were exposed to toxic contaminants and developed illnesses.
Tinder retired from KPD a few years after working at Ground Zero.
"We are deeply saddened by the death of retired Knoxville Police Department Lieutenant Steve Tinder, who passed away this morning," KPD said on social media. "We are eternally grateful to Lt. Tinder for his service to our community and country. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones in their time of grief."