NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — One person died and nine others were injured near the Tennessee State University campus while the school celebrated its homecoming on Saturday, October 12. Police say the nine injured are okay and recovering.
The shooting was reported along Jefferson Street, near 27th Avenue at about 5 p.m. Saturday. MNPD spokesperson Don Aaron said it appeared two groups were targeting each other when the gunshots hit other bystanders.
What do we know
On Monday afternoon, police shared that about five people who started shooting at each other on Jefferson Street have local gang affiliations. Three of the five involved in the shooting were wounded and hospitalized afterwards, and 24-year-old Vonquae Johnson, one of the five, was shot and killed. The other seven injured were bystanders — three juveniles, one as young as 12. Everyone is okay and recovering, according to police.
What do officials have to say?
"It's not a good thing when a handful of people can cause disruption for the entire community," Aaron said. "This type of gun violence has got to stop. We didn't expect this to happen here with all the law enforcement and safety people here. There were police officers and firefighters everywhere."
He said this was a homicide investigation, with the homicide team leading the investigation. Twenty minutes before the shooting happened, Jefferson Street had reopened to traffic from the homecoming festivities.
The Nashville Fire Department was in the area for outreach as part of the homecoming festivities. NFD spokesperson Kendra Loney said her department was able to react quickly to those who were gunshot victims. One NFD member was transferred for a non-gunshot related issue.
"As the gunfire erupted, our crews were right here where that occurred," Loney said. "They recounted that it sounded like fireworks that were happening. They reacted and they were shocked in the moment. They ripped off their belts and made tourniquets. The innocence in this event was taken away. We don't know the final number of victims. We are grateful first responders were on the scene and already here. We are very thankful for that. It could have been worse."
What do TSU homecoming participants have to say?
MNPD's Anthony McClain said he graduated from TSU and had been celebrating the school's homecoming near the Tennessee Titans stadium, where the Tigers were hosting the game.
"It's unfortunate that a few folks pretty much ruined it for everybody," McClain shared. "Fortunately for us we had quiet a few officers working the area. They were able to mitigate the carnage, so to speak. We appreciate their efforts."
Jashawna Rucker — who was a bystander who just graduated from high school — said the situation was chaos of shots being fired. She said thankfully no one she came with was hurt, but she saw people running and crying.
"I am thankful I didn't lose my life or get shot," Rucker said. "Nowadays, we can't do nothing. There were kids around. It's very sad this kind of incident has happened. Last year, it was so smooth and good. You never would have thought it would happen this year. It just suddenly happened."
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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
