Vanderbilt University Police Department (VUPD) alerted the Vanderbilt community to seek shelter due to a reported shooting across from the Village at Vanderbilt at approximately 1:38 a.m. CDT on July 10. The following AlertVU message was sent to the community:
“ALERT! A shooting has been reported at 1602 21st Ave S. Seek shelter immediately! Police are responding. Non-emergency updates will be posted to the website alertvu.vanderbilt.edu when they become available.”
An update sent at approximately 2:23 a.m. CDT informed the community that the crime scene had been secured and police had arrived on scene.
WKRN News 2 specified that one person was shot in the parking lot behind H-Cue’s Upstairs Poolroom and the Chicken Coop and confirmed dead after being taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) later identified the victim as 20-year-old Nashville resident Dontario Graham.
NewsChannel 5 Nashville reported that multiple people were involved in the shootout and several gunshots were fired. Fox 17 Nashville has since reported that, following an initial exchange of gunfire between two individuals, over 100 shots were fired by multiple people.
The window of the Chicken Coop was shattered and customers were instructed to shelter inside until it was safe to leave. The Chicken Coop did not respond to The Hustler’s request for comment. Blake Wallace, a bartender at H-Cue’s Upstairs Poolroom, said that the poolroom is operating regularly without adjusted hours.
A university spokesperson stated that VUPD can not comment on the incident due to the ongoing MNPD investigation. The police investigation has identified more than 80 evidence markers, per NewsChannel 5 Nashville. MNPD has not immediately responded to The Hustler’s request for comment.
