Oct. 13 (UPI) — Ten people were shot, one fatally, following a homecoming parade at Tennessee State University on Saturday, officials said. Three were children.
A 24-year-old man was killed when two rival groups started shooting at each other at about 5:10 pm ET, Nashville police said.
“We can tell from the shell casings that there were gunshots from one side of the street, and then on the other side of the street,” police spokesman Don Aaron said to reporters.
“Some of the individuals are known to us, who are at the hospital due to some prior interaction with the police,” he continued during a press conference. “We are confident that things are coming together.”
He said the injuries range from having been grazed by bullets to critical injuries. The children who were shot, a 12-year-old and two 14-year-olds, were not reported to have been critically injured.
Much of the crowd had left the homecoming parade area to attend the football game between the Tennessee State Tigers and Eastern Illinois Panthers when the gunfire erupted.
The parade took place on Jefferson Ave. in Nashville and police said gunfire broke out between groups that remained about 20 minutes after the road had reopened.
First aid was rendered by some off-duty firefighters who had attended the parade for fun, Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Kendra Loney said.
“Our personnel recounted to me some moments where they ripped off their belts and did things like use those as tourniquets,” Loney said.
“We are upset. We are angry,” she said.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell condemned the violence which officials said was a surprise given the large police presence at the event. He said hundreds of people had shown up to witness the parade.
“What was a joyous atmosphere is tonight very different because of a senseless act of violence carried out by people who didn’t care who else might be caught in the crossfire,” he wrote on X.
Officials at Tennessee State said a separate incident occurred at the football game. Three people were taken to the hospital after being trampled in the crowd, which led to a fight.
The homecoming parade shooting remains ongoing.
