A shootout on the Division Street Bridge in Nashville resulted in the death of 29-year-old Tadarius Milan Hunt, a man wanted on attempted murder charges. The incident unfolded this morning near The Gulch area as police attempted to apprehend Hunt. During the confrontation, one officer was treated for a gunshot wound after being grazed on the leg, as confirmed by the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Earlier identified by MNPD spokesman Don Aaron and reported by WKRN, Hunt was armed with a semi-automatic pistol and subsequently taken to a local hospital with critical injuries before his death was pronounced. The grazed officer was released after receiving treatment at a local hospital. The authorities have not reported any other officers being injured in the shootout.
Hunt had been wanted for the attempted murder of Cedric Wilson, an employee of the Nashville Rescue Mission, on the previous day. Wilson was shot multiple times as he was leaving work at the facility's Lafayette Street location. The 44-year-old security guard was shot 11 times in the chest and legs and was reportedly in surgery this morning at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, according to a statement obtained by WSMV.
Before the fatal encounter, Hunt was seen at the Frugal MacDoogal liquor store. Officers surrounded him on the bridge after the sighting, where the gunfire exchange occurred. A witness at the scene reported Hunt as the first to fire at the officers. In response, officers returned fire, critically striking Hunt, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital, conveyed by police spokesperson Don Aaron, as mentioned by The Tennessean. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will be handling the investigation of the shootout, following standard procedure when officers are involved in a shooting.
Sam Siple, Vice President for Development at Nashville Rescue Mission, empathized with the situation stating, "Our hearts are heavy," when informed about Hunt's death. He followed, "But at the same time the suspect is no longer at large ... we have peace of mind it is no longer a concern," Siple told The Tennessean. The Nashville Rescue Mission has been a fixture since 1954, providing food, housing, and programs for the hungry and homeless.
