A Nashville neighborhood is grappling with the aftermath of a fatal shooting where a self-defense claim is center stage. Edrick Doak, 23, turned himself into police after fatally shooting Bryan T. Lewis, 29, in the JC Napier area this Saturday. Police told WSMV that Doak alleged Lewis was about to pull a gun on him, prompting him to shoot in what he claims was self-defense.
The violent encounter occurred shortly before 2:45 p.m. Doak, who was bringing a box of canned goods to an apartment was confronted by Lewis who was riding a scooter, police said. According to WKRN, Lewis accused Doak of previously shooting at him, an allegation Doak denies. The situation escalated when Lewis allegedly began to reach for what appeared to be a gun, leading Doak to drop the groceries, draw his firearm, and shoot Lewis.
Lewis did not survive as WKRN reported that after the shooting, Doak fled the scene, but later surrendered at police headquarters. No charges connected to the shooting have been filed against Doak at this time, but his arrest was inevitable due to an unrelated outstanding domestic assault warrant.
As the investigation continues, the Metro Nashville Police Department is piecing together the details of the confrontation. According to Doak's interview with a detective, which was reported by FOX 17, he was given information earlier that Lewis planned to kill him. The district attorney’s office will scrutinize the case upon conclusion of the police investigation, weighing the evidence of Doak's self-defense claim.
This latest shooting raises tensions in the JC Napier neighborhood, which saw another shootout just two days prior resulting in the death of 63-year-old Alan Howard. Brief respites from violence in this area are little more than the eye of a storm, a reminder that for many residents here, peace is often fleeting and fraught with uncertainty.
