NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Surveillance video evidence came into play Thursday as suspects in the deadly Jefferson Street shooting appeared in court.
In court, prosecutors showed footage of the suspects engaging in a shootout.
Detective Adam Reese with the Metro Nashville Police Department's (MNPD's) homicide unit took the stand and described the scene on Jefferson Street, near where Tennessee State University (TSU) homecoming festivities had taken place.
One person was killed and investigators said at least nine others were injured — including children. Investigators determined the shooting stemmed from gang activity.
Marquez Davis and DeAnthony Brown are both charged with criminal homicide in the death of 24-year-old Vonquae Johnson. The investigation found there was only one firearm recovered at the scene.
From the video, detectives claim Marquez Davis initiated the violence, pulled his firearm first, and initially was the first to fire. Officials said three others with a rival group, including Johnson, were on a sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot.
Detectives say since Davis and Brown are members of street gangs and witnesses were hard to find.
"We've had people give tips and say they don't want to come forward because they're afraid of retaliation from the gang,” Reese says. “They didn’t want to come forward with names or anything like that and most of the people I was able to talk to were people actually wounded by the gunfire.”
This was a preliminary hearing. The case has been bound over to a grand jury.
