A Sunday night scuffle in a downtown Nashville courtyard spiraled into deadly violence when a 12-year-old boy was shot in the head and later died at the hospital, authorities said. Metro police have arrested a 24-year-old man in the case and charged him with criminal homicide.
Officers from the Metro Nashville Police Department's Entertainment District Unit were called around 7:30 p.m. to reports of shots fired near Rep. John Lewis Way and Deaderick Street. According to FOX17, they arrived to find the 12-year-old with a gunshot wound to the head at Union Terrace. The boy was rushed for emergency treatment but did not survive.
Detectives say the shooting followed a courtyard fight that involved several people and quickly escalated. As reported by KUTV, investigators reviewed video that appears to show 24-year-old Devin Orr in a physical altercation with a group of about six to seven people, including the victim. The arrest record cited by the outlet states that during the brawl Orr grabbed a gun, two shots were fired, and he later told officers he hid the weapon in a sewer on Charlotte Pike, where it was recovered by police.
Investigation and public appeal
In the immediate aftermath, several people connected to the incident were detained and interviewed as homicide detectives worked to pull together surveillance footage and witness statements. Anyone who saw what happened or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 or the Metro Nashville Police Department tipline at 615-862-8600, according to FOX17.
Charges and next steps
Orr is now facing a criminal homicide charge. Authorities have not yet released details regarding the bond or a court date. The Metro Nashville Police Department says the investigation remains active and that detectives will forward their full case file to the district attorney for review, per KUTV.
