Five Shootings in Seven Days on Tennessee Interstates

Posted on September 3, 2017 by safetennesseeproject

In the last week, there have been FIVE separate shootings on Tennessee interstates.

SUNDAY AUGUST 27
A Memphis man was driving on I-240 near the airport when he was stuck by a bullet fired from another vehicle believed to be a white Nissan Maxima. He was able to drive himself to a nearby market and was then transported to the hospital where he was listed in critical condition. The suspect is still at large.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/crime/2017/08/28/driver-shot-240-memphis-police-search-gunman/607227001/

MONDAY AUGUST 28
A man and his girlfriend were driving their jeep down I-40 in Knoxville when a car almost side swiped them. As the man in the jeep tried to pass the car, the driver rolled his window down and fired two rounds at the jeep, missing the man and his girlfriend. The shooter was later arrested and charged with reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.
http://www.local8now.com/content/news/Madisonville-couple-dodges-bullets-in-road-rage-shooting-442284683.html

TUESDAY AUGUST 29
A man got into an altercation with another man at a Wendy’s near downtown Nashville. The suspect then followed the victim and began firing shots while driving on I-40, causing the victim to run off the road and crash. I-40 East near Church Street was completely shut down while investigators were on the scene. No arrests have been made.
http://www.wsmv.com/story/36246070/police-incident-at-wendys-led-to-shooting-crash-on-i-40

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30
A Memphis woman was driving on the I-240 when an SUV almost hit her car as it was changing lanes. The woman honked at the SUV and passed it. The SUV then sped up to catch her, and the passenger in that vehicle fired a gunshot at her. The woman said two females were in the SUV. Neither she or her car were hit. No arrests have been made.
http://www.fox13memphis.com/top-stories/woman-shot-at-while-driving-on-memphis-interstate/601119600

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 3
One person was killed and two others were injured Sunday morning in a shooting on I-24 in Robertson County near the Montgomery County line. No information has been released about a motive or any possible suspects.
http://wkrn.com/2017/09/03/1-dead-2-injured-in-shooting-on-i-24-in-robertson-county/

(Not included in the count: On Friday September 1, a man was arrested for pulling a BB gun during a road rage incident on I-40 in Mt. Juliet. He was involved in an altercation with another driver and pointed what was initially believed to be a handgun. The gun was later determined to be a BB gun. The 20-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.)

The incidents over the last week are just the latest shootings on Tennessee roadways this summer.

AUGUST 1
A confrontation at the intersection of Rutledge Pike and Rosewood Road in Knoxville turned violent Tuesday, leading one driver to open fire on another. Investigators believe the shooting occurred after a road rage incident.
http://wate.com/2017/08/08/1-injured-after-road-rage-shooting-in-knoxville/

AUGUST 2
Metro police said someone in a black Chevrolet Impala shot at least one time into another driver’s car near downtown Nashville. The driver was not seriously hurt and suffered only minor cuts from the glass. Police said the gunman is still at large.
http://www.newschannel5.com/news/man-shot-during-nashville-road-rage-incident

JUNE 11
A mother exchanged words with another driver who was driving recklessly through a parking lot. The driver followed her, opened fire on her car, and her 2-year-old daughter Laylah Washington was struck in the head. She survived on life support for several days before passing away.

The killer remains at large.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/crime/2017/06/14/2-year-old-shot-road-rage-incident-dies/395321001/

Tennessee shootings follow national trend

The Trace recently reported on the growing number of road rage incidents across the country. According to the report More People are Pulling Guns During Road-Rage Incidents, as of August 10th, at least 38 people were killed in a road-rage gun incident, including Laylah Washington in Memphis. Another 109 were injured.