Gunman opens fire at Church of Christ Burnette Chapel on Pin Hook Road. 1 woman dead in parking lot...6 other innocents shot... pic.twitter.com/yuwjfGPjXs
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) September 24, 2017
Updated at 9:25 p.m. ET
One person was killed and seven others were wounded when a gunman opened fire at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tenn., on Sunday morning, according to police. The suspect was among the injured.
By the afternoon, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department had identified the woman churchgoer who was fatally shot as Melanie Smith, 39, from the Rutherford County town of Smyrna, Tenn.
Police say the alleged shooter is 25-year-old Emanuel Kidega Samson. "He has been released from hospital and will be charged with murder and [attempted] murder," the MNPD tweeted. Authorities have not commented on a possible motive for the shooting.
Police say they started receiving calls about the shooting around 11:15 a.m. ET. Nashville police Public Affairs Manager Don Aaron says six of the injured, three men — including the suspect — and three women, were being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Two other victims were taken to Skyline Medical Center.
The Nashville Fire Department tweeted that all but one of the victims is over 60 years old.
All of the wounded except for one is over the age of 60.
— Nashville Fire Dept (@NashvilleFD) September 24, 2017
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry released a statement expressing her condolences to the victims and their families.
The Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, which has a weekly service at 10 a.m., is located about 10 miles southeast of downtown Nashville.
This is a developing story. Some things that get reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from police officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
