WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Police call it a senseless shooting of an innocent man.
A robbery over the weekend at a popular Middle Tennessee marina led to the shooting death of a 27 year old. We drove through the area where the shooting happened in the player above.
It was after midnight at the Cedar Creek Marina. The restaurant was closed, but this was a summer evening on a Saturday. Still lots of people here including the victim who was shot and killed right in the parking lot.
"It basically boiled down to a cold blooded murder," said Wilson County sheriff's captain Scott Moore.
A killing that happened after armed robbers already had stolen the cash they were after at the marina.
"There's no question this guy was an innocent victim minding his own business. Correct. One hundred percent," said Moore.
He said it all started with an armed robbery at the Cedar Creek Marina restaurant on Old Hickory lake.
Two masked suspects assaulted staff members and forced them to open the cash safe.
In seconds they had the money and were out running toward a getaway car with a driver.
At that moment, the victim was at the ramp waiting to remove his boat from the lake.
"He was there — no association with anything going on — and shot by the three suspects as they fled the restaurant," said Moore.
The man, who has not been identified by police, suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
For the many who enjoy this popular marina word of the robbery and deadly shooting came as a shock.
"It's mind blowing. You never see something like this down here," said Ward Coe.
"We were both like, 'what in the world.' Stuff like this never happens out here," Saylor Smallwood said.
Investigators say it's likely the robbers targeted the restaurant to steal cash from a busy Saturday on the lake. But they say the fatal shooting was simply evil and senseless.
Detectives with both the Wilson County sheriff's office and Mt. Julet PD are working this case. They are today collecting evidence and chasing down leads, but for now no suspects.
Late today Nick learned that authorities have recovered some security video — which has now provided several leads in the case.
They may soon make it public.
Police still ask anyone with information to contact either the Wilson County Sheriff or Mt. Juliet Police.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
