NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — One suspect in the murder of a Nashville business owner who was killed in the crossfire of a shootout Sunday was arrested Thursday, while the suspect's twin brother remains at large.
Marcos Leyva-Hernandez, 17, has been charged with criminal homicide for the death of 39-year-old Hwarang Joo, owner of the Hot Stuff Chicken restaurant in the Mill Creek Village shopping center on Bell Road.
Joo had just left his business when gunshots were exchanged. He was hit during the shootout in the 1300 block of Bell Road and his Volkswagen accelerated before crashing into a nearby dental office.
Metro police investigators say the Leyva-Hernandez brothers allegedly used an AR-style rifle to open fire at people inside a Dodge Charger nearby. The brothers fled in a Ford Taurus and the three people in the Charger, who police say were not hit, also fled.
Metro police are still searching for Leyva-Hernandez's twin brother Emilio in connection to the deadly shooting. Investigators ask that anyone who has seen him or the Ford Taurus the brothers were seen driving the day of the shooting is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
The car has a rust spot and front-end damage. Images of the car and Emilio Leyva-Hernandez are included in the photographs above this article.
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There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.
-Lelan Statom
