Metro Nashville Police are investigating a double homicide that occurred at the Hermitage Flats Apartments in the Hermitage neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, March 23, 2024, when two teenagers were killed in a targeted shooting at around 4:45 pm.
Officers, upon arriving at the scene, found 17-year-old Camron McGlothen and 18-year-old Reginald Smart lifeless on the ground near a building’s breezeway in the apartment complex. The victims had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Smart was declared dead at the location, while McGlothen died shortly after being transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Further investigations have indicated that McGlothen and Smart were explicitly targeted by their assailants, contradicting any notion of a random act of violence. It was revealed that the teenagers shared a home at Hermitage Flats Apartments.
Detectives believe that the attack was carried out by three people, one of whom wore a ski mask during the confrontation. These suspects are reported to have fled the scene immediately following the attack, complicating law enforcement efforts to ascertain their motives and identities.
“The area was engulfed in chaos, with police tape marking the perimeter and the presence of blood indicating the severity of the incident,” Shevon Kelly, a neighbor, reported. “Two individuals were found deceased at the scene.”
Kelly also noted the distressing impact the event had on her young daughter, who was playing outside as the shooting occurred. “My daughter was outside with her friends when they observed a car arrive, and a man with a gun get out. They heard a gunshot before running away in fear,” said Kelly.
The incident highlights an alarming pattern of violence among young people in Nashville, as the Metro Nashville Police have recorded nine homicides since the year’s start. This includes two instances where both the victims and the suspects were younger than 17 years old.
In March 2023, approximately one year ago, a gunman, a former student, infiltrated the grounds of the Covenant School, a private institution located in the Green Hills area of Nashville, resulting in the deaths of three nine-year-old students and three staff members.
Police are encouraging anyone with knowledge about the incident to come forward. Informants can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward, highlighting the critical role of community assistance in the investigative process.