A man is in custody following a reported shooting of an unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot of Kentucky Fried Chicken in Middlesboro on Wednesday.

Shortly before 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, Middlesboro Dispatch received the call after a vehicle was found in the KFC parking lot off of Cumberland Avenue with a gun shot in the driver’s side front window.

Middlesboro Police Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson told WRIL it was consistent with that of a shotgun. While the shot did not exit the passenger side, it did internal damage to the window.

Video surveillance footage from a nearby business was reviewed by police to determine who may have left the vehicle in the parking lot. During the investigation it was determined that the incident started in the area of KFC, the Bowling Law Office, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and Middlesboro ARH HomeCare Store parking lot.

Due to the nature of the incident and unknown motive, Middlesboro Schools and ARH Hospital were notified for precaution and went on a soft lockdown with increased entry protocols. SKCTC also cancelled classes for the rest of the day.

A man identified as 38-year-old Paul Rogers Jr. of Middlesboro was arrested Wednesday afternoon. Johnson said the investigation determined that Rogers was fighting with, and assaulted, his sister. The discharge of the weapon happened during the altercation.

Rogers was found at Fords Wood Park with the help of the Claiborne County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Department and taken into custody without further incident. He was found in possession of the shotgun and a handgun, both used in connection with the incident.

Paul Rogers Jr. was lodged in the Bell County Detention Center charged with wanton endangerment – 1st degree, wanton endangerment – 1st degree – discharge of firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, assault – 4th degree (domestic violence), and he was also served a failure to appear warrant.

Middlesboro Interim Superintendent Dr. Jamie Johnson put out a message on the district’s Facebook page informing parents of the soft lockdown and clarified that nothing had happened at any school location. She later shared that the suspect had been apprehended and that the soft lockdown had been lifted.

“All students and staff remain safe, and we continue to work closely with the Middlesboro Police Department to ensure the ongoing security of our schools,” she said. “The safety of our students and staff is always our highest priority. We take every precaution to protect our school community and will continue to maintain strong safety protocols. I appreciate your patience, cooperation, and trust as we navigated this situation.”