Family Demands Answers for FBI’s Fatal Shooting of ‘Disabled Veteran’ in Predawn Raid

An FBI raid two weeks ago on a Tennessee home left a disabled veteran dead and his family with a lot of unanswered questions.

The relatives of Theodore Deschler, 45, spoke to WBBJ about the August 16 raid, but said the FBI has not explained to them why the raid was carried out and what precipitated the deadly shooting.

"They said it's an ongoing investigation, but they won't say anything to us," offered Russell Deschler, Theodore's brother.

Deschler served eight years in the military after enlisting following his high school graduation. He was honorably discharged, according to his obituary, but his brother said he was 100 percent disabled, and lived with depression and PTSD.

Agents knocked on Deschler's door, and pulled his mother out of the home to a waiting van. She was held for 15 minutes before gunfire rang out from the home.

"There's three [agents] up front and two on the sides … they were shooting flash … smoke grenades," said Russell Deschler.

"We believe they broke the windows of the garage so they could shoot."

The FBI issue a comment to WBBJ, confirming only that the raid happened. The statement notes that it takes agent-involved shootings seriously, and that the shooting is under review by the FBI's inspection division.

The FBI did not respond to requests for comment from The Messenger.