RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN — The man accused of driving through South Nashville Wednesday (11/05/25) morning while firing a stolen AR-15 rifle is a convicted felon who was on probation out of Rutherford County at the time of the shootings, according to Metro Nashville Police.

The suspect, 24-year-old Marcos Palacios-Amaya, was taken into custody after an hour-long series of shootings and a multi-agency pursuit that ended near Percy Priest Lake. Palacios-Amaya now faces multiple state charges, including felony reckless endangerment, gun theft, unlawful gun possession by a convicted felon, and felony evading arrest.

Federal prosecutors have also stepped in. The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed Thursday that Palacios-Amaya has been federally charged with unlawful gun possession by a previously convicted felon, meaning he will now face prosecution in both state and federal courts.

Timeline of the Incident - Between 8:30 a.m. and 9:50 a.m., police say Palacios-Amaya fired multiple rounds from a red Nissan sedan in several South Nashville locations, including:

• Calais Circle

• Plaza Mariachi on Nolensville Pike

• A nearby strip mall parking lot

• A mobile home community on Waikiki Boulevard

• He reportedly also entered Plaza Mariachi while carrying the rifle.

During questioning, Palacios-Amaya told police he fired the weapon to “scare people” and alleged he fired shots earlier in the morning on Wednesday in the La Vergne area of Rutherford County before driving into Davidson County.

Pursuit and Arrest - Metro Police spotted the Nissan just after 10 a.m. on Antioch Pike. Officers deployed spike strips near Bell Road and Stewarts Ferry Pike, damaging the car’s tires as the chase continued across the Percy Priest Dam. The pursuit ended near Dodson Chapel Road, where Palacios-Amaya surrendered without further incident.

Inside the vehicle, officers found the AR-15 rifle, which was confirmed to be stolen from a vehicle in Nashville on August 5th.

Rutherford County Connection - Court records show Palacios-Amaya has prior felony theft convictions in both Williamson County (2020) and Rutherford County (2021). He was still serving probation under the Rutherford County case when Wednesday’s shooting spree occurred.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and federal agencies are working jointly with Metro Nashville Police as the case expands beyond county lines.