Tennessee police
Authorities in Dickson County, Tennessee, are searching for a man who they believe is responsible for the fatal shooting of an officer. A police cruiser is seen on July 16, 2015 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Jason Davis/Getty Images

Police in central Tennessee on Wednesday began a manhunt for a suspect they believe fatally shot and killed a sheriff’s deputy who responded to a call about a stolen vehicle.

Steven Wiggins, 31, was named a person of interest in the shooting death on Wednesday morning of a Dickson County sheriff's deputy, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). A reward of $2,500 has been offered for any information that may lead to his arrest.

The deputy’s identity has not been released, but close family on social media have identified him as 32-year-old Sgt. Daniel Baker, the Tennessean reported.

The suspect and the deputy were reportedly involved in a dispute during the deputy's response to a stolen vehicle in Kingston Springs. Another officer found the deputy dead inside his squad car about three miles away from the area.

Law enforcement requested residents and drivers to stay away from Bear Creek Valley Road and Tidwell Switch Road in Dickson County where police believe Wiggins may be traveling on foot.

The suspect has a criminal history, including arrests for aggravated assault and misdemeanor vandalism, records show.

Wiggins was charged Tuesday with aggravated assault and vehicle theft in Kingston Springs, reported WTFV, a CBS affiliate in Nashville.

Officers responded to a domestic dispute call to a home where a woman was assaulted, according to a police report.

Wiggins allegedly slapped the woman and pulled her hair out. Before fleeing the scene, he threatened to kill the woman if she called the police, the report said.

The TBI added Wiggins to its Top 10 Most Wanted list late Wednesday morning. He is considered armed and dangerous, police said.

The agency also issued a Blue Alert across the state. A Blue Alert is like an Amber Alert but is utilized when an officer has been killed or suffered serious injury while on duty, TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said. It was the second time the alert has been issued since it was created in 2011.

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