1 dead, 7 wounded after shooting at Nashville restaurant; suspect, victim identified

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — One person was killed and seven people were injured on Sunday at a restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, authorities said.

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Metro Nashville Police Department Sgt. David Hazzard told The Tennessean that the shooting occurred at the Roasted Salemtown in Nashville at about 3:03 p.m. CDT. Hazzard added that three ambulances took “multiple people” with gunshot wounds and graze wounds to area hospitals, according to the newspaper.

Police release name of suspect, deceased victim

Update 12:04 a.m. April 1: The Metro Nashville Police Department announced that Anton Lamike Rucker, 46, a convicted felon, is being sought as the suspected shooter at the Roasted Salemtown restaurant in Nashville.

“He has agg assault convictions in Nashville and was arrested in Murfreesboro on felony drug charges last 10/31, and on agg assault and gun charges last August,” the Metro Nashville Police Department posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Police also identified the man killed at the restaurant as 33-year-old Allen Beachem.

1 person killed, 7 injured, police say

Update 8:25 p.m. EDT March 31: According to Metro Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron, the incident began during a Sunday brunch at the Roasted Salemtown when two men got into an argument, The Tennessean reported.

Aaron said one man pulled out a gun and fired “multiple shots” before fleeing the scene. The person who died is believed to be the other person involved in the argument.

Five other people were wounded and suffered injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening, Aaron told reporters. A sixth person suffered a graze wound, The Tennessean reported.

“A total of eight persons were transported from the scene, one of them deceased, five others confirmed gunshot victims, one other with a scratch, the cause of which we’re not sure of at this point, and then one person who wanted to go to the hospital due to a panic attack,” Aaron said during a news conference.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell shared his sadness on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Tragically, Easter was disrupted by gun violence in my neighborhood at one of our wonderful small businesses,” O’Connell wrote.

Original report: According to WZTV, three people were transported by ambulance to an area hospital, where one died. Two other victims walked into the hospital for treatment, the television station reported.

In a statement Sunday night, Nashville police said that “Detectives are working to determine the motive for this gunman opening fire during Sunday brunch,” adding that the suspected gunman fled in a Mercedes GLS 450.

Police said the shooting took place at the restaurant/coffee shop at 614 Garfield St., where the Salemtown and Germantown neighborhoods converge. Roasted Salemtown hosted a brunch event earlier Sunday with a disc jockey and dancing, according to The Tennessean.

Roasted Salemtown was once called The Local Distro. But new owners Ericka Fizer-Harvey (known as Chef E) and Will Radford teamed up and changed the name, according to the newspaper. The restaurant is a popular spot for brunches.

A group of mothers at a nearby playground said they were watching children when they heard about eight gunshots, The Tennessean reported.

“Everyone was grabbing the children and running or dropping on the ground,” Dia Settle told the newspaper. “I got waves of chills because I could tell someone was hurt, just from the sound and that many gunshots.”

It was unclear whether an arrest had been made, WTVF reported.

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