NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Earlier Tuesday, police surrounded a man in a vehicle near the downtown Nashville jail, where it required the SWAT team.
Police removed the man from the vehicle after a percussion grenade after multiple hours of negotiation. Officers were on the scene around Gay Street and Second Avenue North.
The man has now been identified as Ira Whitehorn. He has a criminal history dating back to 2011.
Whitehorn was booked into Metro Corrections on multiple weapons and drug charges. He is not eligible for release at this time.
Family members who watched the standoff unfold say Whitehorn was troubled and needed help. They said they hoped this arrest would lead to getting him the help he needed.
Officers yelled at the man to get on the ground and pulled him out of the vehicle.
You can watch the standoff as it happened in the livestream below
Police said the person circled the area in a rental car and would drive off when police asked the individual to stop. The SWAT team was called, and authorities blocked the roadways.
Family members talked to the individual in the car from a loudspeaker. The man was unharmed when taken into police custody.
Nick Beres contributed to this reporting.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email newsroom@newschannel5.com.
Happy Birthday to the YMCA of Middle TN. They just celebrated their 150th anniversary! A lot has changed with the Y over the years. I have personally seen some of that firsthand when I was a long-time board member at the Northwest Family Y and part of their Black Achievers Program. Forrest Sanders has a look back.
- Lelan Statom
