The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will lead the inquiry into a security officer’s fatal shooting of a man at Nashville’s federal courthouse Thursday morning, Oct. 8, following an armed confrontation at a security checkpoint.
The man tried to fire a pistol but the weapon did not discharge, according to Metro Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron. He then pulled out a knife before a security officer shot him at the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building, Aaron said.
The man was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died. Speaking to reporters at the scene, Aaron described him as a man in his 40s who was from outside Tennessee.
Officers identified his vehicle, which was parked nearby, and searched it. Aaron said they “found nothing threatening” inside.
The security officer works with the U.S. Marshals Service. The TBI investigation will examine both the shooting and the officer’s actions during the encounter.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob McGuire said his office would work with state investigators to establish the facts and assess the evidence before determining what action to take.
“We’re going to work with the [TBI] to determine what the facts are, what the evidence is and then act appropriately on that evidence and on those facts,” McGuire told reporters. “Right now there’s a lot that we’re still learning.”
The courthouse, at 719 Church St. in downtown Nashville, opened in 2022. It is named for Fred Thompson, the former U.S. senator from Tennessee and actor, and serves the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Federal district courts handle federal criminal prosecutions and civil disputes within their jurisdiction. Their work is separate from the state and county court proceedings familiar to many Nashville residents.
The U.S. Marshals Service oversees security for the federal judiciary, including protection of judges and courthouse facilities. Security screening is a routine part of entering a federal courthouse, including for jurors, witnesses, attorneys and members of the public attending proceedings.
People with upcoming business at the courthouse can check the Middle District of Tennessee’s official website, tnmd.uscourts.gov, for court notices, visitor requirements and clerk’s office contact information. Questions about an individual hearing or reporting instructions should be directed to the appropriate court office.