This was prior to KPD or KCSO announcing that Ryan McDonald had died to the gunshot wounds. With Commissioner Smith’s announcement it begs the question. If you were Ryan’s parents and you saw the knoxnews website with Smith announcing the victim is dead. And you receive a phone call to go to UT Medical Center because your son has been transported there. Is that what you want from a Seventh District Commissioner.
Also, appointed Fourth District County Commissioner William Daniels couldn’t keep himself out of the spotlight. Within the first 30 minutes, Daniels had called into the Hallerin Hilton Hill Radio Talk Show on NewsTalk 100. Then later in the morning, he called into The Voice between 10 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
R. Larry Smith was critical of Commissioner Victoria DeFreese for sending out a press release about a non-profit in the district where she serves as an appointed Commissioner. Hundreds of people had some things to say about R. Larry elbowing his way to be in the story. It has become a pattern for R. Larry. Just like the character Simba from the Disney movie The Lion King. He just can’t wait to be king.
UPDATE: Sources close to the situation have confirmed that the Public Information Officers for the Knoxville Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Knox County Schools are VERY irritated at today’s actions of R.Larry Smith. Smith took information that he overheard from the situation room. The situation room where he wasn’t invited to be present. He immediately left the room and began calling WNOX, the News Sentinel and others to inform them that the shooting victim had died. All of this before the “official” announcement as not all relatives had been contacted.
What’s that ticking sound? It must be William Daniels 15 minutes of fame ticking to a close.
This type of behavior makes R. Larry Smith (the R is for Reprehensible) a poster child for term limits………….