Nashville, TN — While new FBI statistics show that violent crime in Tennessee has dropped over the past five years, Metro Nashville Police spent the weekend responding to three separate shootings within a two-day span — one of which left a man dead.
Fatal Shooting at Madison Gas Station
According to WKRN News 2, the most serious incident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9, when gunfire erupted after an argument in the parking lot of the MAPCO gas station in the 1300 block of Neelys Bend Road in Madison.
The victim, 25-year-old Chris Bond II, was rushed to TriStar Skyline Medical Center but did not survive. Police say the suspect fled in a vehicle but was later identified and arrested as 36-year-old Timothy Lamar Williams at an apartment complex on Cheyenne Boulevard. Williams is now charged with felony criminal homicide.
Neighbors expressed shock over the violence in a familiar area.
“Hearing that is really crazy because I come here very often, live here, and my little siblings, my mom, my family come over here a lot, so it’s kind of scary hearing that,” said Madison resident Jayden Pyant.
Another resident, Marcus Boyd, offered condolences to the victim’s family and urged community improvements:
“Hopefully, they can see better, get it together, and push for better in the community.”
Two More Shootings Over the Weekend
The Madison killing was one of three shootings reported in Nashville over the weekend:
- South Nashville — Just before 3 a.m. Saturday, a woman sitting in a vehicle outside a bar in the 100 block of Lafayette Street was shot in the leg. Police said an altercation between a security guard and a patron inside the bar may have led to the gunfire.
- East Nashville — Shortly before 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, a man was shot at an apartment complex in the 300 block of Dellway Villa Road. He was hospitalized, but his current condition has not been released.
Police have not indicated that the shootings are connected.
Community Reaction and Concerns
Some residents say the recent statewide drop in violent crime doesn’t necessarily reflect conditions in certain neighborhoods.
“I agree with that crime rate going down, but carjacking [is] going up, so it’s a lot to work on in the community and the whole Nashville,” Boyd told WKRN.
While the FBI data points to progress statewide, local officials and community members agree there’s still significant work to do in addressing gun violence and related crimes in Nashville’s urban neighborhoods.
What are your thoughts on this rise in weekend violence? Share your views in the comments.
