One person was killed and at least nine others were injured Saturday evening in a shooting just steps from the campus of Tennessee State University in Nashville, authorities said.
In a briefing Saturday evening, Nashville Police Department spokesperson Brooke Reese said five of the victims were transported to local hospitals by ambulance, and five others were dropped off by private vehicles.
“Right now there are 10 victims confirmed to have been involved in that gunfire, one of which has died,” Reese told reporters.
MetroNashville Police Department
Some of those treated at area hospitals “are also suspected of being involved in the gunfire,” Reese added.
Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Kendra Loney added that all nine of those injured suffered suspected gunshot wounds.
According to the Tennessean newspaper, the university sent a text alert to students at 5:30 p.m. local time warning that there was an active shooter off campus. The exact circumstances of the shooting and what preceded it were still unclear.
It happened as TSU was celebrating homecoming festivities this weekend, CBS affiliate WTVF reports.
Nashville Fire Department personnel were already in the area because they had participated in an NSU homecoming parade, Loney said.
“When the gunfire broke out, our crews were right here where that happened,” Loney said.
Loney noted that several firefighters initially thought the gunshots were fireworks because they had previously gone off as part of the school festivities.
“Our staff told me some moments where they ripped off their seatbelts and did things like, used them as tourniquets because they didn’t have their medical bag with them,” Loney said.
It could not immediately be said whether any suspects have been arrested. The identity of the murdered person was also not provided.
