Mark Thomas Reno, Terrorist Attack, Tennessee 2022

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Mark Thomas Reno, a former resident of Jefferson City, is at the center of a recent string of violent attacks on public institutions. On Jan. 22, 2021, Reno allegedly fired an incendiary round into the Planned Parenthood – Knoxville, Tennessee, Health Center (the Center) using a sedan and a shotgun. On Dec 31, 2021, Reno set the Center ablaze using a pickup truck, causing the building to burn down to the ground. The attacks continued on June 18, 2022, and July 3, 2022, when Reno shot the windows at the John J. Duncan Federal Office Building in downtown Knoxville using a .22 caliber rifle with an illegal suppressor and the same sedan respectively. The Justice Department has filed a civil complaint seeking the forfeiture of both vehicles and the firearm used during the shootings on June 18, 2022, and July 3, 2022.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee announced the complaint. The FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case with assistance from the Knoxville Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey T. Arrowood for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

The FBI arrested Reno on July 18, 2022. He was released from custody due to health reasons on Aug. 14, 2022, and passed away on Aug. 15, 2022. The claims made in the civil complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Reno’s alleged crimes were a disturbing display of violence and disregard for the law. The Justice Department’s efforts to seek forfeiture of the property used in these attacks are a step towards holding accountable those responsible for such heinous acts.

The defendant, Mark Thomas Reno, had no prior convictions. However, his alleged actions demonstrate a clear disregard for the law and the safety of others.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting public institutions and the individuals who work and visit them. The Justice Department’s efforts to seek forfeiture of the property used in these attacks are a crucial step towards ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.

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