UPDATE: More to the Story Involving a Shooting in Smyrna - Here is the Latest...

May 20, 2013 at 12:15 pm by bryan


On May 19th, 2013 at approximately 7:53pm the Smyrna Police Department was notified of a possible shooting in the area of Mason Tucker Drive and Sam Ridley Parkway. Shortly after that StoneCrest Hospital contacted the police department and stated they had a victim of a gunshot wound in their emergency room.

Smyrna Chief of Police Kevin Arnold told WGNS on Monday that detectives have been able to piece together what occurred. We are told by the Smyrna "P-D" that Cordarius Johnson, age 22, of Smyrna was sitting in his vehicle with his girlfriend at Hilltop-Rosenwald Park in Smyrna when two black males entered his back seat and demanded that he and his girlfriend hand over their money and cell phones. A crowd that was at the park began to move towards the vehicle which caused the two suspects to flee to a white Ford Escort which was in the park. Johnson stated that he left the park in his vehicle to go to his home to retrieve his handgun, to which he is a licensed permit holder in the state of Tennessee.

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Chief Arnold further told WGNS via an email, “Johnson stated that he drove his vehicle towards Sam Ridley Parkway on Mason Tucker Drive when he pulled up next to the suspects in the white Ford Escort. Mr. Johnson claims that someone in the vehicle began shooting at him and that he returned fire from his handgun.”  After the shooting took place, Johnson headed to the Smyrna Police Department to report he had been involved in the situation.

We are told that the individual shot was Tazarius Leach, age 21, of LaVergne. Arnold said, “There are several conflicting stories from parties involved in this and detectives are still investigating the case.”

Source

Kevin Arnold, Chief Of Police
Smyrna Police Department

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