Manhunt Continues for Waffle House Shooter

UPDATE: Waffle House Suspected Shooter Arrested

Police continue to search for a 29-year-old suspect that killed four people and injured three more at a Waffle House near Nashville.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Apr 23, 2018

[UPDATE: April 23, 2018 1:30 p.m.]

Authorities say they have captured a suspected gunman wanted for killing four people at a Waffle House in Middle Tennessee. 

The Metro Nashville Police tweeted around 2:05 p.m. local time that the murder suspect was in custody. 

This is a breaking story. Please follow @SecurToday for timely updates.

Original story posted below.

Police continue to search for a 29-year-old man suspected of killing four people and injuring another four in a Waffle House outside of Nashville on Sunday morning.

The Metro Nashville Police Department said early Monday morning that there had been no "credible sightings" of the suspected gunman and after an overnight search by local, state and federal law enforcement officers.

Metro Nashville Police have also ensured that all schools in the area have been cleared of potential threats and will remain on "lockout" mode as the search continues. "Guests and visitors will not be allowed inside school buildings," school officials said.

The shooting happened at an Antioch, Tenn. Waffle House just before 3:30 a.m. on Sunday. Metro Nashville Police say the gunman was sitting in his truck for a few minutes, looking around, before he got out, clothed in only a green jacket, and immediately began shooting at customers in the parking lot.

The gunman, according to police, continued shooting as he walked inside, shattering the windows of the establishment. At one point, he stopped to reload his weapon. That's when police say a customer, 29-year-old James Shaw, lunged at the gunman and wrestled away the gun, throwing it over the counter. Shaw told local news stations that he moved the gunman out of the restaurant where he, "just walked away" from the scene.

Three people died at the scene an another died at the hospital as a result of the shooting at the Waffle House. Two people remain in critical condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center treated and released two people with minor injuries from the shooting, a spokesperson said.

Months before the gunman became the target of a manhunt, he was arrested for trying to breach a barrier near the White House. Authorities would later seize his guns and revoke his license to carry a gun in the state of Illinois.

Under Illinois law, certain confiscated guns can be released to a family member, but the gunman could not lawfully possess the weapons in that state. Police say the guns were given to the gunman's father who then returned them to the suspected shooter. It is unclear if the weapons were lawfully possessed in the state of Tennessee.

Among the four weapons seized from the gunman was the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle that police say he used in the Waffle House on Sunday. One of the weapons - a pistol - is missing from the gunman's apartment.

Police still have no significant leads on the location of the shooter. Investigators believe the gunman went to his apartment, located less than a mile from the Waffle House and put on a pair of pants before fleeing again. He was last seen in a wooded area near the apartment complex wearing only black pants. 

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

  • Why the Future of Video Security Is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reasons. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. Read Now

  • UL Solutions Launches Artificial Intelligence Safety Certification Services

    UL Solutions Inc., a global leader in safety science, today announced the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) safety certification services, enabling comprehensive assessments for evaluating the safety of AI-powered products. Read Now

  • ESA Announces Initiative to Introduce the SECURE Act in State Legislatures

    The Electronic Security Association (ESA), the national voice for the electronic security and life safety industry, has announced plans to introduce the SECURE Act in state legislatures across the country beginning in 2025. The proposal, known as Safeguarding Election Candidates Using Reasonable Expenditures, provides a clear framework that allows candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for professional security services. Read Now

    • Guard Services
Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.