Jacob Inselmann Has Passed Away After Stampede in Pigeon Forge Shooting

The incident took place in a crowded tourist area typically filled with entertainment and visitors. For a short time, however, the scene was overtaken by emergency lights, police activity, and cordoned-off sections as officials secured the area.

A busy parking lot outside Dolly Parton’s Stampede in Pigeon Forge became the scene of tragedy on Saturday night after a young man was fatally shot, turning what is usually a lively tourist area into one filled with shock and grief.

Police report that 22-year-old Jacob Inselmann was shot while sitting inside a vehicle parked near the well-known dinner attraction. Officers were called to the scene around 7:35 p.m. following reports of a gunshot. When they arrived, they found Inselmann and another man inside the car, with the situation already critical.

Investigators determined that the shot was fired from within the vehicle. The other occupant told authorities he had been handling a handgun when it accidentally discharged, striking Inselmann. The exact circumstances leading up to the incident are still under investigation.

Emergency responders transported Inselmann to LeConte Medical Center in an effort to save his life, but he was later pronounced dead. His sudden passing has deeply affected those learning of the incident, especially given his young age and the unexpected nature of the event.

Authorities have charged 24-year-old Evan Cogdill of Illinois with criminally negligent homicide, indicating the case involves a fatality linked to careless firearm handling. Investigators continue to examine the details to better understand what occurred inside the vehicle.

The investigation remains ongoing, with detectives reviewing evidence and witness accounts. Officials are asking anyone with additional information to assist as they work to reconstruct the events that led to the shooting.