An incident at a Nashville Kroger has led to the arrest of 18-year-old Robert Turner, who now faces charges of felon in possession of a firearm and contraband in custody. WSMV reports that Turner is accused of brandishing a gun within the grocery store, located in the Haynes Park area, and also outside the establishment. Police were summoned following reports of a person with a weapon at the scene.

Arrested approximately a mile away from the Kroger on Clarksville Pike, Turner claimed he displayed his weapon only after a group of people pointed a gun at him, necessitating self-defense. The situation escalated with Turner allegedly waving the firearm in the air inside and outside Kroger, according to witnesses' accounts to police and video footage obtained from the premises, as FOX 17 detailed.

Investigators stated that video evidence showed Turner, with a gun in hand, walking through Kroger. Multiple witnesses corroborated the claim of Turner's threatening gestures, and they reported him saying he would shoot. Turner, however, denied that he waved the gun, insisting he pointed it at the ground. Nonetheless, the arrest affidavit details how officers on the scene found ammunition on Turner after he was booked by Davidson County Sheriff’s Office personnel.

Turner's arrest record reflects prior convictions, one of which includes motor vehicle burglary. His probation was violated in February, adding to the gravity of the current charges against him. As WKRN informs, during the arrest, Turner told officers that he gained possession of the firearm from a friend after allegedly seeing a group outside the store with a weapon.

Currently held on a $50,000 bond, Turner's actions have stirred alarm in the community and led to a significant law enforcement response. His claims of self-protection contrast sharply with witness reports and video surveillance, which have shaped the charge of felon in possession of a firearm, a serious felony offense.