Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
MNPD Officers Rex Engelbert, a 4-year veteran, and Michael Collazo, a 9-year veteran, were part of a team of officers who responded to the Covenant Church/School campus Monday morning and immediately entered the building. Both of those officers fired on the shooter, who was killed. This is their body camera footage.
updated 1 year ago
The man detectives want to speak with had dreadlocks down to his beltline, was in the bar Sunday morning, and is believed to have gotten into a silver Jeep in the parking lot. At least one witness has identified a Jeep as the potential source of the gunfire.
Detectives have been told the shooting occurred as persons were leaving the bar after a music performance. The five victims are all from Murfreesboro. A 42-year-old woman was critically wounded. Three men, ages 26, 26, and 22, and a 21-year-old woman, received non-critical wounds. The motive for the gunfire has not been determined.
Anyone recognizing the man in the attached photo or videoclip is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
As is routine in these type cases, the police department will be closely monitoring the bar for any continuing quality of life issues that impact the surrounding community and Hermitage Precinct officer resources.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Specialized Investigations Division Detective Carlos Diaz is recovering from a gunshot wound to his leg fired by homicide suspect Miqueal Williams as Detective Diaz and his colleagues attempted to arrest Williams on a 1st degree murder indictment this afternoon in an apartment complex at 808 Skyline Ridge Drive in Madison.
Williams, 31, was wounded in the hip during the exchange of gunfire with police. Both Detective Diaz and Williams have non-life threatening wounds and are being treated at Skyline Medical Center. Williams is under indictment for the March 4 fatal shooting of Samuel Edwards Jr., 32, at an apartment complex on Buena Vista Pike. A Criminal Court judge set a $1 million bond on the murder indictment.
Detective Diaz and his colleagues on the TITANS (The Investigative Team Addressing Neighborhood Shootings) Unit had developed information that Williams was at the Madison apartment complex this afternoon and saw him get into the passenger seat of a vehicle. They approached and demanded that Williams put his hands up. Instead, Williams opened the door and emerged from the vehicle with a semi-automatic pistol and exchanged gunfire with Detective Diaz, who was hit in the leg and moved to a safer area of the parking lot. During the gunfire, Detective Joseph Gonzales approached the open driver’s side door of the vehicle and fired at Williams through the open passenger side door.
Detective Diaz is a law enforcement veteran who transitioned his career to Nashville from the New York City Police Department in November 2022. Detective Gonzales is a law enforcement veteran who transitioned his career to Nashville from the Fullerton, California Police Department in October 2021. Both are on routine administrative assignment as the shooting investigation takes place.
The TITANS Unit is part of the MNPD’s precision policing strategy. Those detectives assist the Homicide Unit and other components in locating and apprehending dangerous individuals in our community who are wanted for violent crimes most often involving gunfire.
The body-worn camera footage of Detectives Diaz and Gonzales are available here. Please note, Detective Diaz’s camera had not yet begun to record audio at the time the shooting took place. His video appears in real time. The same clip is then slowed because the gunfire took place very quickly. Detective Gonzales’ camera footage is in real time.
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The pickup truck came from the rear of Smokin Thighs shortly before 6 p.m. at a high rate of speed. Carney was thrown off the vehicle onto the Wedgewood Avenue pavement. The truck is then believed to have turned right onto nearby Bransford Avenue.
Carney is hospitalized at Vanderbilt. Officers have not been able to interview him due to his medical condition.
Carney’s vehicle was parked in the rear of the restaurant on June 19. It was found running with the door open. It has not been determined what occurred in the rear parking lot between Carney and the unknown driver of the pickup truck.
Anyone with information about the driver and/or the vehicle is asked to contact Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Reward money totaling more than $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the driver.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Five men involved in shooting at an undercover TITANS Unit detective on Howerton Street near N. 6th Street just before 11 p.m. Monday night fired more than 30 rounds at him before running to a stolen Infiniti Q50 and fleeing Nashville on I-40 into Wilson County. Fortunately, Detective Chris Lawson was not injured and radioed information about the fleeing gunmen to other MNPD units, including a helicopter crew that was already in the air.
The helicopter tracked the stolen Infiniti to Golden Bear Gateway and Volunteer Boulevard in Wilson County, where the five bailed out and ran into the woods. All five were subsequently apprehended with the assistance of the MNPD Canine Unit and Wilson County authorities.
A total of six guns were recovered after being tossed from the Infiniti in Wilson County: a Glock .40 caliber pistol that had been modified to make it a fully automatic weapon; a Glock 9 millimeter pistol that had been modified to make it fully automatic; two additional Glock 9 millimeter pistols, a Glock 10 millimeter pistol, and a Draco pistol that resembles a short rifle and fires rifle rounds. One of the nine millimeter pistols was stolen from an SUV parked on West End Avenue last July 17. Another of the 9 millimeter pistols was reported stolen in Louisville, Kentucky.
The five men arrested are identified as Eric O. Mario, 23, of Sanborn Drive, who drove the stolen Infiniti at a high rate of speed from Nashville into Wilson County; Ronny I. Edmonds, 19, of Jay Street; Mahamed M. Muganga, 18, of University Court; Abraham G. Mario, 19, of Galaxie Drive, and Omar A. Yussuf, 18, of N. 6th Street. All five are charged with multiple crimes, including aggravated assault on a first responder, using guns in the commission of a dangerous felony, auto theft, gun theft, felony marijuana possession, and evading arrest.
Detective Lawson, as part of the TITANS (The Investigative Team Addressing Neighborhood Shootings) Unit’s precision policing mission, was conducting surveillance in the area of Howerton and N. 6th Streets after developing information that a person involved in a recent shooting was in that vicinity. He initially saw a group of men holding guns in a parking lot off N. 6th Street and drove his undercover police car down Howerton Street to turn around to get a better view. As he did, the men began walking toward him, split sides of the street, and began firing. Detective Lawson reported hearing bullets whiz by his vehicle as he immediately took evasive action to get out of the line of fire.
The police department will be talking with the United States Attorney’s Office about potential federal prosecution of the five.
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The three male suspects (seen in the attached surveillance video) entered the Demonbreun Street garage at 1:45 a.m. on May 20th and began breaking into several vehicles. The licensed, armed security guard was making his rounds when he heard the noise and approached the suspects.
The suspects fled into a stairwell, and one fired shots towards the guard as he ran.
The guard was not injured. Anyone who may recognize the suspects is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
Anyone with information on this burglary is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
Taylor, 16, was struck in an apparent exchange of gunfire between separate parties. He was transported to Skyline Medical Center where he died.
Anyone with information on the group is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A cash reward of more than $5,000 is now being offered for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the two persons, a man and a woman, who on Sunday afternoon stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from the Michael Kors store at the Tanger Outlets in South Nashville. Tanger posted a $5,000 reward today. Crime Stoppers is offering an additional reward of up to $1,000.
Surveillance footage shows the two thieves enter the store at 4:18 p.m. Sunday. The male wore a blue denim jacket with the New York Yankees logo in several areas, a white beanie hat, blue jeans, and a surgical mask. The female wore a black Victoria’s Secret sweatsuit/hoodie with the word PINK in white lettering on the back of the sweat top. She also wore a surgical mask. They were in the crowded store for five minutes before grabbing multiple purses from a wall display and a number of jackets from a rack near the door. An employee attempted to prevent them from exiting, but they pushed by her and fled into the parking lot. It appears they left in a black sedan, perhaps a Nissan Altima.
The two shoplifters will face, at minimum, charges of felony theft when they are arrested.
The police department, Tanger Outlets and Councilwoman Joy Styles have had discussions this week about shoplifting leading up to the busy holiday season. All parties are in agreement that thieves will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. Shoplifting investigations involving stores in the Green Hills area over the past few months have led to the identification of about a dozen suspects. Many of them have been arrested.
Anyone recognizing the two thieves from the Michael Kors case depicted in the accompanying surveillance video is asked to contact Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers can remain anonymous and qualify for the cash rewards.
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Visit www.joinMNPD.com to learn more about becoming a police officer in Nashville. Have questions? Contact a recruiter at Recruitment@Nashville.gov or call us at 615-862-7341.
We will be running 8 academy classes in 2024. We are hiring for Police Officer Trainee, Lateral POII and Lateral POII SRO. Visit www.joinMNPD.com to learn more and to apply. Have questions? Reach out to a recruiter at Recruitment@nashville.gov or call us at 615-862-7341.
They first vandalized the Music City Center around 7 p.m. About an hour later, a witness at the symphony center saw a male spray painting graffiti on the building. He fled on foot.
The suspects are white and appear to be in their teens. One was tall and thin with long, shaggy hair. He wore black shorts, black ball cap, and white t-shirt. He carried a bag with spray paint. The second suspect wore shorts, a white ball cap, and white t-shirt. He was carrying a skateboard.
Anyone who recognizes them from the attached videos is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward.
The shooting appears to be targeted, but the motive remains unknown.
The victim was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but has since been discharged.
Anyone with information on the suspect involved is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hermitage Precinct Detective Donovan Coble remains in critical but stable condition recovering from a gunshot wound to his side/rib area as he pursued an armed auto burglary suspect this afternoon from a Donelson parking lot, over a fence and into a residential yard.
The suspect, identified as Delama Casimir, 37, who carried a Florida driver license with a Pompano Beach address, is believed to have been wounded by Detective Coble’s return fire as well as gunfire from SWAT Officer Tim Brewer about an hour later. Casimir died at 7:25 p.m. at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. today, Detective Coble and his colleagues from the Hermitage Precinct’s Community Field Intelligence Team responded to a call from The Parking Spot, an airport area parking lot for travelers, concerning an armed man who was breaking into cars. Detective Coble’s body camera footage shows officers encountering Casimir in a rear parking lot. He was ordered to stop, but instead ran through the lot and jumped over a wooden fence. Detective Coble also jumped over the fence, at that point with a Taser in his hand, and ordered Casimir to stop. During the chase, Detective Coble transitioned to his pistol just before Casimir pointed a .380 semi-automatic pistol over his shoulder in Coble’s direction and fired. Detective Coble was seriously wounded during the exchange of gunfire. Casimir appeared to go down into heavy brush. Detective Coble radioed that he had been shot and hurriedly went to the street. A fellow detective picked up Coble and rushed him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is expected to fully recover.
((SEE DETECTIVE COBLE’S BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE AT THIS LINK: youtu.be/tvjGqVDtXd0))
Hermitage Precinct officers, as well as SWAT officers, responded to the Donelson Pike/Shacklett Drive/Claridge Drive/Upshaw Drive area to search for the then unidentified gunman. At 3:35 p.m., SWAT Officer Tim Brewer, as shown on his body camera footage, was clearing a section of the heavy foliage when he game upon Casimir in the brush. Officer Brewer began shouting commands to Casimir and reported seeing the pistol. Brewer said he perceived a gunshot and fired on Casimir. SWAT officers rendered aid to him, and he was transported to the hospital and into surgery. He died tonight.
((SEE DETECTIVE BREWER’S BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE AT THIS LINK: youtu.be/3sbrN3P9hik ))
Detective Coble, 33, is a four-year MNPD veteran who just this week was named Officer of the Year by the Donelson-Hermitage Exchange Club.
Officer Brewer, 42, is a 16-year MNPD veteran.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hermitage Precinct Detective Donovan Coble remains in critical but stable condition recovering from a gunshot wound to his side/rib area as he pursued an armed auto burglary suspect this afternoon from a Donelson parking lot, over a fence and into a residential yard.
The suspect, identified as Delama Casimir, 37, who carried a Florida driver license with a Pompano Beach address, is believed to have been wounded by Detective Coble’s return fire as well as gunfire from SWAT Officer Tim Brewer about an hour later. Casimir died at 7:25 p.m. at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. today, Detective Coble and his colleagues from the Hermitage Precinct’s Community Field Intelligence Team responded to a call from The Parking Spot, an airport area parking lot for travelers, concerning an armed man who was breaking into cars. Detective Coble’s body camera footage shows officers encountering Casimir in a rear parking lot. He was ordered to stop, but instead ran through the lot and jumped over a wooden fence. Detective Coble also jumped over the fence, at that point with a Taser in his hand, and ordered Casimir to stop. During the chase, Detective Coble transitioned to his pistol just before Casimir pointed a .380 semi-automatic pistol over his shoulder in Coble’s direction and fired. Detective Coble, although seriously wounded, returned Casimir’s gunfire. Casimir appeared to go down into heavy brush. Detective Coble radioed that he had been shot and hurriedly went to the street. A fellow detective picked up Coble and rushed him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is expected to fully recover.
Hermitage Precinct officers, as well as SWAT officers, responded to the Donelson Pike/Shacklett Drive/Claridge Drive/Upshaw Drive area to search for the then unidentified gunman. At 3:35 p.m., SWAT Officer Tim Brewer, as shown on his body camera footage, was clearing a section of the heavy foliage when he game upon Casimir in the brush. Officer Brewer began shouting commands to Casimir and reported seeing the pistol. Brewer said he perceived a gunshot and fired on Casimir. SWAT officers rendered aid to him, and he was transported to the hospital and into surgery. He died tonight.
Detective Coble, 33, is a four-year MNPD veteran who just this week was named Officer of the Year by the Donelson-Hermitage Exchange Club.
Officer Brewer, 42, is a 16-year MNPD veteran.
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