One person was killed and at least nine others injured in a shooting just blocks from Tennessee State University campus in Nashville Saturday evening, authorities said.
In a briefing Saturday night, Nashville Police Department spokesperson Brooke Reese said that five of the victims were transported by ambulance to local hospitals, and five others were dropped off by private vehicles.
“At this point, there are 10 victims who have been confirmed to have been involved in that gunfire, one of which is deceased,” Reese told reporters.
Metro Nashville Police Department
Some of those who were being treated at area hospitals “are also suspected to have been involved in the gunfire,” Reese added.
Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Kendra Loney added that all nine of those injured were believed to have sustained 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 led up to it were still unclear.
It occurred as TSU had been celebrating homecoming festivities this weekend, CBS affiliate WTVF reports.
Nashville Fire Department personnel were already in the area because they had been taking part in a NSU homecoming parade, Loney said.
“As that gunfire erupted, our crews were right here where that occurred,” Loney said.
Loney noted that several firefighters initially believed the gunshots were fireworks, because those had been set off earlier as part of the school festivities.
“Our personnel recounted to me some moments where they ripped off their belts and did things like, use those as tourniquets, because they did not have their medical bags with them,” Loney said.
There was no immediate word on whether any suspects had been arrested. The identity of the person killed was also not provided.
