Advocates and community leaders respond to deadly shooting near TSU

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A deadly gang-related shooting occurs near the Tennessee State University (TSU) campus, just hours after a homecoming parade filled the streets.

One person was killed and nine people were injured in the shooting.

Metro Police released new information that five people involved in the tragic shooting are connected to local gangs.

Several organizations held a meeting Monday to discuss the rise in violence in Nashville and the impact it is having on families and children. Two separate incidents over the weekend left people in the Nashville community distraught.

One of the incidents is a deadly mass shooting on 26th Avenue and Jefferson Street, not far from the TSU campus, that left one person dead and nine others injured, according to Metro Police.

Another incident occurred the same night near Nissan Stadium. According to police, three people were injured after an argument in the parking lot escalated into a fight.

Community advocates stress that the violence is impacting young people in our community.

Mandii Brown says she grabbed a little girl for cover after she was separated from her mother.

“She was just like, I don’t want to die, and I was just trying to calm her down and collect ourselves because this is my third year going to homecoming and I’ve never experienced this before,” Brown explained.

It’s this kind of trauma that is driving Mothers Over Murder, the Tennessee Hispanic Action Network and others to demand change.

“At what point do we say, let’s stop saying ‘enough is enough’ and draw the line in the sand, what’s the number, because I want to know when we are actually safe and heard,” emphasized Melissa Alvarez.

Melissa Alvarez of the Tennessee Hispanic Action Network says the number of shootings in Nashville continues to rise with 154 people shot in 2023, and she points out that 283 people have already been shot this year, 64 of which resulted in death.

Tennessee State Senator Heidi Campbell is calling on state leaders to pass common-sense gun laws.

“We talk about safety all the time, so let’s walk the talk and actually do something this session,” Campbell stressed.

According to Metro Police, two of the suspects involved in the shooting near TSU are still at large.

According to TSU, the shooting did not involve TSU students and did not occur on campus.

Get stories like this and all the day’s news in Middle Tennessee delivered to your inbox every morning with the FOX 17 News Daily newsletter.