One person was killed, and nine others were injured in a shootout near a university in Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, according to police reports. The shooting occurred as a crowd that had gathered for homecoming events at Tennessee State University began to disperse around 5 PM. Nashville police spokesperson Don Aaron stated that shell casings indicated gunfire was exchanged between two groups across a street near the campus.
Nashville police commander Anthony McClain noted that the shooting did not appear to be directly linked to the university’s events, which had included a parade and other celebrations earlier in the day, as the football game was happening elsewhere in the city when the incident occurred. “It’s unfortunate that a few folks ruined it for everybody,” McClain remarked. “We have to come to a point to stop this violence.”
A police statement revealed that a 24-year-old man was the deceased victim, while two 12-year-olds and a 14-year-old were among those injured, all suffering non-critical injuries. According to police spokesperson Brooke Reese, at least some of the injured individuals seemed to have been involved in the gunfire exchange.
Authorities reported that police and firefighters present for the day’s activities quickly responded to the shooting, with some firefighters improvising with belts as tourniquets. Witness Jashawna Rucker described the ensuing chaos, sharing that people cried and ran for safety upon hearing the shots. “I am thankful I didn’t lose my life or get shot,” she expressed.
Rauf Muhammad, who was selling food from a tent nearby, recounted his experience during the gunfire, saying, “Everybody [was] having fun, music playing or whatnot. Then all of a sudden, you just hear like you off in a war somewhere.”
Earlier that same day in Oklahoma City, 13 individuals were shot — one fatally — during a party. Both incidents contributed to a total of more than 415 mass shootings reported in the US this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The non-partisan archive defines a mass shooting as an incident where four or more victims are wounded or killed.
The continuous occurrence of mass shootings in the US has led many to advocate for more effective gun control measures, though Congress has generally been unable or unwilling to address these concerns.
