Tennessee paramedic, 31, is charged with murder for 'shooting dead one woman and injuring another' in drunken brawl outside water park

Sarah Romine, 31, was charged with murder after she allegedly opened fire during a drunken brawl at a Tennessee water park, killing one woman and injuring another

A paramedic has been charged with murder after she allegedly opened fire during a drunken brawl at a Tennessee water park, killing one woman and injuring another.  

Sarah Romine, 31, of Knoxville, shot Kelsy Cook, 24, and Angie Russell, 23, both of Loudon, following a confrontation in the parking lot of the Soaky Mountain Waterpark in Sevierville shortly before 8pm Saturday, police said. 

Cook was airlifted from the parking lot to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, where she was pronounced dead hours later.

Russell was transported to LeConte Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Police said Romine got in an altercation with Kelsy Cook, 24, and Angie Russell, 23, shortly before 8pm on Saturday in the parking lot of the Soaky Mountain Waterpark (file photo)

Witnesses told officers that possible suspects were in a car leaving the parking lot, according to police. 

Officers stopped the vehicle and detained three suspects. After a subsequent investigation, police said they believe Romine was the shooter and charged her with second-degree murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault and possessing a firearm while intoxicated.

Joshua Dannels, 30, of Crossville, Tennessee, was also charged with possession of a firearm while intoxicated. The third detainee, whose name was not released, is not facing any charges.

Romine and Dannels were sent to the Sevier County Jail for booking.

Mike Cohen, a spokesman for American Medical Response Knox County, confirmed to WATE, a local affiliate of ABC, on Monday that Romine works as an EMT for the company and was off-duty during the shooting.

Cohen added that she is currently on administrative leave without pay, which will 'remain in effect until the resolution of the investigation by local authorities'.

After the shots were fired, the park was on lockdown until 9.30 until witnesses led police to Romine, who was trying to flee the park in a car 

Management at Soaky Mountain Waterpark said in a statement on Sunday morning that it ‘is committed to our guests’ safety and we are deeply saddened by the events that occurred in our parking lot on Saturday evening after our waterpark closed

A local woman, who declined to be identified, was at the waterpark with her family during the shooting and told WATE that the park was on lockdown until 9.30pm while police searched for the shooter.

'We were loading up our car getting ready to leave and we heard something that kind of sounded like, to me, it sounded kind of like the helicopters that fly over,' the witness said. 

'But then it just stopped and then there were a bunch of people running out saying "shooter, shooter, shooter". We basically locked our car back up and ran back into the park and stayed there for an hour and a half trying to figure out what was going on.’

She said she was with her children, who were pretty shaken up by the entire situation. 

'We’ve actually been keeping an eye on them today to make sure that they’re alright,' she said. 'We’ve spent the past two summers here and I try not to be scared of something that was just kind of a freak accident. It just makes you a little bit more aware of your surroundings and pays a little bit more attention than you usually do. But I mean, we’ll definitely be back. We love Soaky.'

Cook’s family sent a statement to WATE on Monday morning, which read: ‘The events that transpired are tragic for all those involved. As you know events like these impact several people and our thoughts and prayers go out to them. This is an ongoing investigation and I will refrain from any further comments.’

Management at Soaky Mountain Waterpark said in a statement on Sunday morning that it ‘is committed to our guests’ safety and we are deeply saddened by the events that occurred in our parking lot on Saturday evening after our waterpark closed. 

'The Sevierville Police Department is overseeing this investigation and we are fully cooperating with them. Because this is an active investigation we cannot comment on it any further.'