A downtown Nashville parking lot became the site of a shooting late Saturday that left two people with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries after an apparent altercation involving a group of people and a woman trying to leave the area in her car. According to WSMV, the woman was attacked through her car window, leading her male passenger to fire shots into the air, an action which precipitated the return of gunfire and resulted in both their injuries.
Around 11:15 p.m. in the 100 block of Second Avenue South the trouble started as the woman maneuvered her vehicle, trying to exit the packed parking lot when faced with the group's aggression, and it took a violent turn when several shots rang out, reportedly fired by 39-year-old Jeremi Ford, who has been charged with attempted homicide and related counts after the entertainment district officers responded quickly to the melee; first aiding the injured and then arresting Ford said police, despite his attempt to flee in a gray Infiniti with three female passengers.
Ford, who FOX 17 reported also faced previous felony drug convictions and probation violations from a 2007 case, was charged with two counts of attempted homicide, aggravated assault against a first responder, being a felon in possession of a gun, and reckless endangerment and is currently held on a $560,000 bond.
The incident, which stands as the year's first reported shooting in proximity to Lower Broadway, has stirred reactions among locals; in a NewsChannel 5 interview, a witness described the chaotic aftermath saying, "There was a lot of chaos, I do remember thinking very briefly of my kids and my wife and wondering if I was going to get to see them again." Another individual recounted the fear of the sudden violence, expressing relief in having evaded the chaos by turning onto another street.
