SMYRNA, TN - What began as a juvenile birthday celebration in Smyrna ended in tragedy late Saturday night after gunfire erupted inside Lara’s Event Center on Nissan Drive. Smyrna Police say officers were called to the venue around 11 p.m. on December 20, 2025, after reports of a shooting during a party attended by roughly 50 people—most of them kids and teens.

According to investigators, an altercation broke out among several individuals inside the building. That dispute escalated quickly when a juvenile suspect pulled out a firearm and fired multiple shots in the crowded event space. Two people were hit. One victim, who police say had no involvement in the altercation, was critically injured and flown by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The second victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers found the juvenile suspect outside the building shortly after the shooting. Police say the teen was carrying a stolen firearm that had been reported missing out of the Nashville area. Detectives with Smyrna’s Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Investigators worked through the night, interviewing witnesses both at the scene and later at the police department. Investigators also reviewed security footage from inside the event center as they pieced together what happened.

The suspect, identified only as a juvenile from La Vergne, now faces multiple charges and has been taken to the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center. Smyrna Police say the investigation is still active as they continue gathering statements and evidence. As more information is available, it will be on NewsRadio WGNS.