Smithville Man Charged in Sparta Highway Shooting

James Barsotti has been charged with attempted second-degree murder after a shooting at a business on Sparta Highway in Smithville, Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reports that Barsotti allegedly shot an employee, who was subsequently airlifted to a Nashville hospital and remains under medical care. Barsotti, reportedly aged 39 or 40 and from Pleasant Shade, was arrested at the scene and is being held in DeKalb County Jail on a $300,000 bond. Authorities stress that Barsotti is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing. The case is a joint effort between the TBI and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.