Knoxville Cops Still Hunting Club Gunman Seven Years After Deadly Night

Seven years after gunfire outside a South Knoxville nightclub cut short the life of Nahimana Zacharia, Knoxville police are again asking for the public's help, hoping that time and fresh eyes might finally crack the case.

The unsolved homicide, which dates to June 9, 2019, remains open as investigators continue looking for anyone who was near the South Knoxville club when shots rang out.

As reported by WVLT, the Knoxville Police Department has said Zacharia may not have been the intended target and that more than one shooter could have been involved. Detectives are also trying to identify people who used the nicknames “Chicken Leg” and “GBeechie” on social media and are asking anyone who recognizes those handles to contact investigators.

How to reach detectives

The department is directing tipsters to the KPD Violent Crimes Unit and to the city's established channels for unsolved murders. According to the City of Knoxville Unsolved Murder Cases page, tips can be called in to 865-215-7317 or emailed to [email protected]. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers.

How the 2019 shooting unfolded

On June 9, 2019, officers responded to reports of gunfire outside the Sunnight (SunNight) Lounge on Maryville Pike. Zacharia was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center and later pronounced dead, according to contemporaneous coverage.

Early accounts described the shooting as happening in the overnight hours and placed the scene outside the club, as reported at the time by WVLT and by coverage of the incident republished from WATE via Crossville News First.

Why the renewed appeal matters

KPD and other agencies periodically resurface details in cold cases to jog memories, prompt people to recheck old video, or nudge reluctant witnesses to finally come forward. It is a strategy that has produced new leads in other investigations.

Local reporting of similar appeals, including similar appeals, shows the department repeatedly asking the public to think back on what they remember from nights when violence broke out.

Anyone with information about the June 9, 2019 shooting is asked to call the Knoxville Police Violent Crimes Unit at 865-215-7317 or email [email protected]. Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips at 865-215-7165. According to the city's unsolved-cases page, callers may remain anonymous, and rewards are sometimes available for information that leads to an arrest.