TN: Pregnant Mother’s Shooting of Husband Was Self-Defense

CROCKETT COUNTY, TN — A Tennessee woman who fatally shot her abusive husband during a violent domestic attack will not face charges after investigators and the District Attorney determined the shooting was a clear act of self-defense.

The incident happened late Thursday night, April 17, 2025, in the 6000 block of Chestnut Bluff-Maury City Road. According to the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department, 32-year-old John King III was shot and killed during what officials later described as a life-or-death situation for his wife, Kylie King—who is six months pregnant and had two other young children in the home at the time.

District Attorney General Frederick Agee confirmed Wednesday that the evidence supports Mrs. King’s right to defend herself and her children.

“She had no other choice but to defend herself,” Agee said. “That is why people have guns. In this case, she used her firearm appropriately to defend not only herself but her children.”

Physical evidence revealed Kylie was attacked with a knife, pistol-whipped, strangled, and under severe threat when she acted to protect herself and her family. The Sheriff’s Office said her actions were a “desperate attempt to safeguard her life, the life of her unborn child, and the two children in the home.”

Authorities added that Mrs. King had endured years of domestic abuse before the night of the fatal shooting.

“This wasn’t a situation where emotions got the best of someone,” said Sheriff Troy Klyce. “This was a mother doing what she had to do to survive and protect her kids. We support victims of domestic violence and are here to help families stay safe.”

The case has struck a chord with gun rights advocates who point to this as a textbook example of why the right to keep and bear arms is essential. In rural areas like Crockett County, police response can take minutes—minutes victims of violence don’t have.

While the investigation is now closed, law enforcement and community leaders are using the case to highlight the importance of domestic violence awareness and the Second Amendment’s vital role in self-defense.