Eric BrooksNASHVILLE, Tenn. – Police say a drunken suspect smuggled a weapon into the Criminal Justice Center Monday night.
Eric Brooks was arrested for public intoxication after Officer Brian Lamb found him walking down the middle of Richards Road trying to wave down traffic.
Once he was taken inside a sally port at the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Nashville, a police affidavit reveals he began acting suspiciously. Lamb noticed Brooks had a 9 mm handgun hidden inside his pants when it fell out.
They immediately took Brooks down and confiscated the gun. Police said the gun was loaded, with one round in the chamber and three rounds in the magazine.
Metro Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said the department's south precinct commander as well as Lamb's immediate supervisors opened a full review Tuesday of how he missed the gun during a routine search.
"Officers receive extensive training in searching prisoners. We arrest thousands of individuals each year. This happens rarely and we try to do everything we can to prevent it from happening," said Aaron.
Police don't know if Brooks sneaked the weapon in with the intention of using it. Lamb also found a bag of marijuana in one of the Brooks' pockets.
Brooks has an extensive criminal history including a gun-related charge just last week.
"I know they've got computers in their car. Everything comes up. It's just a matter of seconds," said Nashville resident Bruce Sova. "Thankfully no one got hurt in the process."
Brooks, of Bowfield Drive in Antioch, was jailed on $23,500 bond. He was out Tuesday night.
