A 34-year-old Kingsport man is behind bars on charges of Aggravated Arson and Felon in Possession of a Firearm following a domestic disturbance. The Kingsport Police Department reports that officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of Meadow Glade Circle around 5:27 p.m. on June 2, 2024.
Officers were told that 34-year-old Matthew Purkey had been awake for days on methamphetamine, had set a fire in the home earlier in the day, and had shot a firearm inside the residence in the evening.
An adult female managed to flee the residence with three juveniles before officers arrived. KPD officers reached the scene and surrounded the residence. KPD says Purkey threatened to point a gun at police and commit “suicide by cop”.
Around 7:41 p.m., Purkey agreed to surrender and was placed in custody. He was booked into the Kingsport City Jail. Purkey is charged with Aggravated Arson and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Jay Skelton is an independent crime journalist with a passion for covering the uncovered and the under covered.