Tennessee deputy shot and airlifted to hospital, suspect killed, reports say

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A Tennessee sheriff's deputy was shot and airlifted to a hospital Tuesday and a suspected gunman was killed, according to local reports. 

The shooting occurred around 12:30 p.m. Central Time outside of Westmoreland, 50 miles northeast of Nashville. Macon County Sheriff's deputies responded to a home in the 1700 block of West Stinson Road amid reports of a man with a firearm acting irrationally and scaring people, Sheriff Mark Gammons told WTVF, the CBS-affiliated television station in Nashville..

Once at the scene, the man ignored commands for deputies to put down his weapon. He then fired on them, Gammons told the station. The deputies returned fire, prompting the man to take cover inside a home. 

A deputy was shot during the exchange. He was identified by Gammons as Sgt. Kyle Petty, a 15-year veteran of the force. Petty was wearing a bullet-proof vest and was hit in the back and leg. 

He was flown to a hospital and is expected to survive.  

As more deputies arrived at the scene, the unidentified man exited the house with the weapon, which he reportedly put to his head, before he allegedly opened fire again. Deputies returned fire and he was struck. He reportedly staggered back into the home and was found dead inside. 

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The investigation has been turned over to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which has sent agents and forensic crews to the scene. 

Calls to the sheriff's office and TBI by Fox News were not immediately returned.