Security Officer Fatally Shoots Armed Man Inside Nashville Federal Courthouse
A man in his 40s from out of state died after a courthouse security officer shot him Thursday morning inside the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse in downtown Nashville, after police said the man's gun jammed and he then pulled a knife.
A security officer fatally shot an armed man on Thursday morning inside the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in downtown Nashville, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department, as reported by The Tennessean.
The shooting happened just before 9:30 a.m. at the courthouse at Church Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard, police spokesperson Don Aaron said, according to The Tennessean. Police said a man about 40 years old entered the lobby, drew a gun and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed. He then pulled out a knife, and a security employee working with the U.S. Marshals Service fired, according to The Tennessean.
Man died at the hospital; state investigators take over
The man was taken by ambulance in critical condition and died at the hospital, Aaron said, according to The Tennessean. WSMV reported that he died after being taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and that he did not get past the courthouse security checkpoint. Police said he was from out of state and has ties to Nashville, but they did not release his name or further details, according to WSMV.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will handle the investigation into the shooting, authorities said. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob McGuire said the episode was unprecedented for the courthouse, which opened in 2022 and houses Nashville’s federal judges, magistrate judges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the court clerk, according to The Tennessean. McGuire said security stopped the threat before a member of the public was hurt, according to The Tennessean.
Nearby library closed for the day
Police said the man had parked a white SUV along the sidewalk outside the courthouse, according to The Tennessean. The downtown branch of the Nashville Public Library, across Seventh Avenue, was evacuated as a precaution while dogs and investigators checked the vehicle, and police found nothing of concern, Aaron said, according to The Tennessean. The library branch stayed closed for the rest of the day, according to WSMV.
Reporting based on coverage by The Tennessean and WSMV.
