(MURFREESBORO, TN) The 21-year-old shooter involved in a double fatal shooting outside a local fast-food restaurant early Saturday (7/8/2023) morning, claims he was protecting himself when he shot two men who were allegedly assaulting him as he sat in the backseat of a car at the drive-thru of a restaurant.

Officers responded to reports of shots fired at the Cook Out restaurant on Memorial Boulevard at 1:03 AM, Saturday morning and found 31-year-old Tony Fuller with a single gunshot wound.  He was pronounced dead at the scene by personnel with Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services.  His 18-year-old brother Jacob Hawkins, was also shot and taken to the hospital where he died a short time later. 

The preliminary investigation shows that Fuller and Hawkins approached the car that the accused shooter was in while outside of a McDonald’s drive-thru on South Rutherford Boulevard. The driver of the car quickly left the scene to get away from Fuller and Hawkins.  According to the investigation, the brothers later spotted the same car in the Cook Out drive-thru line. Fuller and Hawkins approached the car a second time and the three men began to argue. Police report the brothers started assaulting the 21-year-old as he sat in the backseat.  The 21-year-old reportedly took out his gun and fired, striking both the 18-year-old and the 31-year-old; claiming self-defense.  The shooter was one of those who called 9-1-1 to report the shooting.

“There were several bystanders, who didn’t know any of those involved, who voluntarily told detectives what they witnessed, and some provided video,” said Criminal Investigations Division Crimes Against Persons Lieutenant James Abbott. Abbott further explained, “The witnesses’ account is consistent with the shooter’s claims and with the evidence we collected at the scene.” 

The motive for what started the fight and fatal shooting is still unclear. At this point, no charges were filed against the shooter, pending further investigation. As more information is released, WGNS will report an update. 

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