Body cam footage shows police confronting Nashville Smile Direct shooter who left three injured
Shocking footage shows confrontation between suspected gunman and police
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Police in Nashville have revealed body camera footage of the moment an employee at Smile Direct opened fire at this workplace, injuring three people.
One person remains in critical condition following the attack at the warehouse on Tuesday. Suspected shooter 22-year-old Antonio King was fatally shot by police during the incident.
Police revealed in an incident report that the first 911 call regarding the incident came in at 5.58am when eyewitnesses said a man had opened fire.
King, who was a dayshift employee at the warehouse, allegedly walked up to the facility during a shift change and opened fire. The motive behind the alleged shooting is not yet known.
Police said that the suspect engaged in a shootout with the security guards through the doors of the facility and that two security guards and a manager were wounded.
The suspected gunman was armed with a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said.
News4 reported that the security guards were identified as Johnny Hardin, 46, and Carlton Watson, 66. Mr Hardin was left in critical condition while Mr Watson was said to be stable.
The third man injured, Thomas Abbott, 54, has been treated and released, Metro Nashville Police Department said. A fourth person was said to have injured their article while running away.
As the event unfolded, police confronted a man who they say matched the suspected shooter’s description and saw he was carrying a gun.
Bodycam footage shows officers demanding King drop the weapon. Police said that the suspect refused to comply and pointed the gun at officers prompting them to open fire.
The man can be seen in the footage collapsing to the ground as police shout at him not to move. The suspect was said to have been transported to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.
“The heart of our family is broken at the news of the shooting at Smile Direct Club. For the families impacted by the shooting we cry and pray with you,” King’s family said in a statement.
They added: “For those who were injured and frightened by the event we empathise with you and pray for you.”
The family claimed in the statement that King was suffering from a mental illness and that the “signs and severity of the illness” was not evident to them.
The incident is being investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.