09/13/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MULTIPLE ARRESTS AT DYER COUNTY FAIR; PISTOL WITH MACHINE GUN CONVERSION DEVICE RECOVERED
DYERSBURG, TN - September 13, 2026 - The Dyer County Sheriff's Office and the Dyersburg Police Department arrested several individuals after fights broke out at the Dyer County Fair on Friday, September 11, and Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Approximately half of those arrested were juveniles and the remaining suspects ranged in age from 18 to 30.
Because personnel from DCSO, DPD, Dyer County EMS, and the Dyersburg Fire Department were already assigned to the fairgrounds throughout fair week, the response to each disturbance was immediate and both incidents were contained quickly. We regret to let you know that an innocent bystander was injured during the arrest of the armed suspect.
Dyersburg Police officers arrested one suspect found in possession of narcotics and a second suspect who had an active robbery warrant.
Captain Caldwell of the Dyer County Sheriff's Office and Officer Winegardner of the Dyersburg Police Department arrested an 18-year-old suspect who was armed with a 9mm pistol equipped with a switch device - a modification that converts a semiautomatic pistol into a machine gun.
The weapon was also equipped with a large-capacity magazine. Possession of a machine gun conversion device is a felony under both Tennessee and federal law. The fi***rm has been secured as evidence, and the case is being reviewed with our federal partners.
Additional weapons were recovered from individuals involved in the disturbances.
"Great work by DCSO and DPD keeping our citizens safe," said Dyer County Sheriff Montgomery. "If you don't know how to act, we don't want you at the Dyer County Fair or any other public place where our citizens will be put in danger. This has been a wonderful week. Thousands of families and children have been coming out to the fairgrounds for years and were met by neighbors, volunteers, and first responders who worked hard to make it safe. The overwhelming majority of the people in this community are good, kind, and respectful. A very small handful chose otherwise, and they will be held accountable. Bringing a machine gun into a crowd of families is senseless, reckless, and highly illegal."
Charges are pending.
In accordance with Tennessee law, no identifying information regarding juveniles taken into custody will be released. All persons charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Sheriff's Office thanks the Dyersburg Police Department, Medical Center EMS, and the Dyersburg Fire Department for their coordinated response, and thanks the fairgoers who followed directions from law enforcement during the incidents.
Anyone with information or video related to either incident is asked to contact the Dyer County Sheriff's Office at 731-285-2802.
And finally, thank you to the fair board, volunteers, sponsors, exhibitors, traffic officers, vendors, and families for your hard work this year. We will continue to partner together to keep this a safe event for everyone.
# # #