When a call went out for a high school shooting last year -- that turned out to be a hoax -- a civilian armed with an AR-15 responded along police officers.
Columbia Fire Chief Ty Cobb requested an investigation about how the armed man was alloed to join police, WKRN reported.
That inquiry, cost Cobb his job, according to a suit filed in federal court.
The city manager suspended him and placed him on probation, citing “insubordination.” Then, in March 2024, Cobb was fired for “unacceptable activities.”
Roy Brooks, who was wearing a tactical vest when he showed up at the school, had been fired from the Columbia Fire Department prior to the incident at the high school.
Cobb's attorney, Robb Bigelow, said: “He knew the individual, who was a civilian at the time. And he was extremely concerned that there shouldn’t be someone who’s a civilian grabbing an AR-15, jumping in with a SWAT team.”
“It absolutely turned his world upside down. I mean, this is a man who has dedicated so much of his life and his time to the City of Columbia and to being a member of the fire department, And, that’s something that, like I said, he wants to get back doing. And the complaint asks for reinstatement and hopefully that’s something that’ll happen."
