Crime
Antioch High School shooting suspect identified as 17-year-old African-American male
NASHVILLE, TN – Authorities have identified the suspect involved in the Antioch High School shooting as a 17-year-old male.
The tragic incident, which occurred on Wednesday morning inside the school cafeteria, resulted in the death of one female student, injuries to two others, and the suspect’s death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), officers responded to reports of an active shooter at the high school, located in the Antioch area of Nashville.
Upon arrival, they found that a female student had been fatally shot, another female sustained a gunshot wound to her arm, and a male student suffered a facial injury, though it was not caused by gunfire.
Authorities reported that the suspect opened fire in the cafeteria before turning the weapon on himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The injured students were transported to a local hospital, where they are receiving treatment. Their conditions have not been publicly disclosed.
In response to the incident, Antioch High School was placed on lockdown while law enforcement secured the premises.
A reunification site for parents and students was established at 3754 Murfreesboro Pike, with buses transporting students to the location.
Metro Nashville Public Schools issued a statement confirming that the person responsible for the shooting is no longer a threat and that all necessary measures are being taken to support students and staff.
“This remains an active investigation, and we are working closely with MNPD to provide further updates as they become available,” the school district’s statement read.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also joined the investigation, assisting local authorities in determining the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Authorities urge anyone with information related to the incident to come forward as the investigation continues.
Crime
Attorneys Argue Jacob Bard Actions in Deadly Kentucky State University Shooting Were Legally Justified
Attorneys representing Jacob Bard, the man accused in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University, contend that his actions were legally justified and undertaken in defense of his family amid what they describe as a violent and uncontrolled situation on campus.
In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Bard’s legal team from the Indiana-based law firm Danks & Danks asserted that Bard “was completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force.”
Bard is accused of fatally shooting one Kentucky State University student and wounding another during an incident at a campus dormitory.
According to the attorneys’ statement, Bard traveled to Kentucky State University after his younger son reported being attacked on multiple occasions.
The release alleges that on Monday, December 8, a group of approximately 20 to 30 individuals gathered outside the son’s dormitory, some allegedly armed, and began beating on the door. Campus police were reportedly called to respond to the disturbance.
The following morning, Bard and his wife met with Kentucky State University police. While the attorneys stated that officers appeared sincere in their efforts, they claimed it was evident to the family that campus police were “ill-prepared to deal with the out-of-control and violent environment.”
The legal team further alleges that both the university and its police department failed to adequately address what they described as multiple armed and violent felonies against Bard’s sons, ages 18 and 19, as well as other students in the days preceding the shooting.
Those alleged incidents included burglaries and armed assaults.
Later that morning, the family attended a meeting at Young Hall with campus police and a university dean.
According to the release, the meeting left the family convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment, prompting them to begin removing the son’s belongings from the dormitory.
When the family returned to the residence hall, the attorneys claim that individuals previously involved in the alleged assaults were present, despite assurances they would not be allowed inside.
The statement further alleges that those individuals photographed the family and made verbal threats.
The attorneys contend that, even with two armed Kentucky State University police officers present, a group of 20 to 30 individuals gathered in the dormitory lobby and “violently and viciously attacked” Bard’s son and family members.
According to the release, Bard’s son was slammed into the concrete floor and beaten by multiple people, and the officer on scene allegedly lost control of the situation.
“In the chaos,” the attorneys wrote, Bard attempted to pull attackers off his son but was struck himself. Believing his son to be in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Bard then drew his firearm and shot two individuals whom the attorneys say were actively assaulting his son.
The legal team also stated that no charges have been filed against others allegedly involved in the confrontation and claimed the Bard family has continued to receive death threats.
The release further alleges that the mother of the deceased student has publicly called for retaliation against Bard’s son and sought assistance from criminal groups—claims that have not been independently verified by authorities.
The case against Bard was presented to a grand jury on December 16.
During a previous court hearing, a detective testified that at least one video reviewed by investigators did not show the shooting victims assaulting Bard’s son.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not issued a final determination regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.