ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A pizza delivery driver out for only the second time was shot at when he pulled into the wrong driveway.
Caiden Wheeler, an 18-year-old high school student, was delivering a pizza to a house on N Poole Street around 8:00 p.m. in Ashland City when he was shot at seven times.
"I was literally about to get killed right there," Caiden Wheeler said. "It is attempted murder in my opinion."
After he dropped the pizza at the correct house and got back in his truck, police say the suspect, Ryan Babcock, 32, shot at him. Babcock used a handgun to shoot the drivers side below the gas tank, the wheel on the drivers side and right above the drivers side window.
Police recovered seven shell casings at the scene. Babcock told police what he could see on his Ring camera made him think someone was breaking into his car, so he went outside and started shooting.
"I understand keeping your firearm, trying to be protective... protect your family, but I don't think you should automatically shoot at someone because they pulled in. I don't think that's right," Wheeler said.
While Wheeler's car wasn't marked, he was in a Dominos uniform and got out of the car holding a pizza delivery bag.
"I do believe there is — if you have reasonable cause — sometimes you got to do what you got to do, but in certain cases like this, I don't think that was a reasonable cause and therefore I don't agree with it," Wheeler said.
Wheeler and his family think the charge should be attempted homicide rather than aggravated assault.
According to Ashland City Police, the District Attorney set the charge.
Babcock is out on bond. His arraignment is set for June 12.
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
