Standing Guard in front of the Murfreesboro Police Department: Since the FBI warned of police killing ‘purges,’ local citizens are becoming more concerned about the safety of men and women in blue.
As of Monday (7/11/16), a direct threat against law enforcement in Tennessee has not been made. But, that is not stopping an armed Tennessee Army National Guard Specialist from standing guard in front of the Murfreesboro Police Station for the next 24 to 48 hours.
Specialist Will Ray told me that after talking to a Murfreesboro Police Officer who told him about the so called purge, he and several friends decided to start “Operation Blue Streak.”
Specialist Ray stood in front of the Murfreesboro Police Headquarters Monday to protect and look out for the men and women in blue.
I asked him what he was armed with and he told me, “Well, I’m a medic with the field artillery unit, so um, pretty much I’m just in my regular fatigues, my load bearing vest with my medical gear, I’ve got my medical bag in the car and my Ruger .40 with me.”
The Tennessee National Guard was not as enthusiastic about the idea as Specialist Ray was on Monday. They ordered him to stand down when they found out about it.
The Guard released a statement that read, "He was not called up by the Governor. He was acting out of his own accord and his unit has been notified. He has also been notified that he cannot do this as a representative of the Tennessee National Guard. If he still chooses to do so out of uniform, then that is up to him."