A 22-year-old man was shot early Wednesday morning as he tried to leave his home on Oakwood Drive in Chattanooga, and police have now arrested a woman in connection with the shooting. Qu'Nyshia Johnson was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center, facing charges of aggravated domestic assault, false imprisonment and vandalism.
Chattanooga police responded to reports of a person shot shortly after 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to WTVC. Preliminary findings indicate Johnson shot the man as he attempted to leave the Oakwood Drive residence. Hamilton County EMS transported the victim to a hospital, and police say he suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The Chattanooga Police Department confirmed Johnson's arrest in an official release, noting that all charges remain preliminary accusations subject to judicial review. Defendants arrested by Chattanooga officers are processed through the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center.
What the Charges Could Mean
Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-13-102 and § 39-13-111, aggravated domestic assault involving a deadly weapon is a Class C felony when committed knowingly, carrying a sentencing range of 3 to 15 years in prison, or a Class D felony if committed recklessly, carrying 2 to 12 years, according to the James R Owen Knoxville Defense Attorney firm. Those enhanced charges apply when an assault involves serious bodily injury or a deadly weapon used against a domestic partner.
The false imprisonment charge against Johnson falls under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-13-302, which defines the offense as knowingly removing or confining another person unlawfully in a way that substantially interferes with their liberty. May McKinney, PLLC explains the charge is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor carrying up to 11 months and 29 days in jail, though confinement can be elevated to felony kidnapping if a deadly weapon is displayed or bodily injury occurs.
The vandalism charge will hinge on how much property damage prosecutors can document. Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-14-408 grades vandalism penalties according to financial loss, classifying damage under $1,000 as a Class A misdemeanor and anything above that threshold as a felony, according to N. Cate Law. The formal grading of that charge in Johnson's case has not yet been established.
A conviction can carry lasting consequences beyond prison time. Freeman & Fuson discusses lifetime firearm prohibitions in some cases. The firm also notes that domestic violence convictions generate permanent entries on federal crime databases.
The Oakwood Drive Shooting
The shooting occurred at a home on Oakwood Drive in Chattanooga.
Citywide, the picture has trended in a safer direction overall. The Chattanooga Police Department's 2025 Annual Report, published in May, found that the city saw a 48% decrease in homicides and a 26% drop in non-fatal shooting victims compared to 2024. Even so, isolated shootings like Wednesday's continue to test that trend. Hoodline previously reported on a Tunnel Boulevard shooting last month, in which a 41-year-old man was hospitalized after being shot and police worked to identify a suspect.
Chattanooga police are asking anyone with information about the Oakwood Drive shooting to call 423-698-2525.
