On Tuesday, October 28^th, a gunman opened fire at two men in front of the Nashville courthouse, sending many lunch-time shoppers into a panic. At 11:15a.m., two men drove by in a car, with the passenger shooting five times at two men outside the courthouse. The suspects drove away before police were able to stop them. One victim ran into the courthouse and collapsed after being shot in the hand and leg. The other victim ran down the street and was found in an open lot with a back wound. Both victims were taken to Nash General before being air-lifted to Greenville Regional Hospital. Both men are in critical condition but are expected to survive.

The downtown strip in Nashville is known for its locally owned shops, small restaurants, and the courthouse. When interviewed by local news reporters, Renee Davis, owner of Madelyn’s Flower Shop, said, “We had the doors open. It was a beautiful day. Then we heard loud pops, and knew they were gunshots because they were consecutive. Everyone in the shop ducked. I ran to the door to lock it and saw an uninjured woman standing on the courthouse steps screaming in terror.” Many shoppers shared the same stories, describing the terror of the situation.

Later that evening, police arrested a man who they thought was one of the suspects, but later released him after finding out they had the wrong man. Since then, police have caught the driver of the car, 36 year old Demond Levar Morris. Morris is being held on two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. His bond has been set at $500,000 dollars and had his court appearance on Thursday morning. Police are still looking for 31 year old Brandon Tremaine, whom they suspect was the gunman in the shooting.