Downtown Nashville shooting: 12-year-old boy killed during fight between group of teens

The Metro Nashville Police Department has launched an investigation after a 12-year-old boy was shot in the head and killed in downtown Nashville Sunday night.

Updated on: Jun 22, 2026, 13:04:33 IST

By Sumanti Sen

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Metro Nashville Police Department has launched an investigation after a 12-year-old boy was shot in the head and killed in downtown Nashville Sunday night, June 21. The shooting took place in the 400 block of Union Street around 7:30 pm, according to WSMV.

Downtown Nashville shooting: 12-year-old boy killed during fight between group of teens (Pexel - representational image)

MNPD told the outlet that the boy was shot during a fight between a group of teens.

What we know so far

According to Kris Mumford, a spokesperson with MNPD, a group of about 10 to 15 teens gathered in the area of Union Terrace, and a fight erupted. Shots were fired amid the altercation, hitting the 12-year-old in the head.

The victim was identified as Damarion Morehead by police. Officers responded around 7:30 pm to reports of gunfire near Rep. John Lewis Way and Deaderick Street. Officers arrived to find Morehead at Union Terrace with a critical gunshot wound to the head.

Morehead was in “extremely critical condition” after the shooting, Mumford said, and was treated at Vanderbilt. He later died from his injuries.

Police have not announced any arrests as of now. Mumford did say that the MNPD is interviewing two people involved in the incident, but they are not believed to be the shooters.

Metro Nashville PD wrote in an X post, “Entertainment District Unit officers Sunday at 7:30 pm responded to shots fired in the area of Rep. John Lewis Way & Deaderick St. They located a critically injured 12-yr-old male victim with a gunshot wound to his head at Union Terrace. Involved persons who were detained told detectives that a group of individuals met there for a fight. During the melee, shots were fired. Anyone with information about the gunman is asked to call 615-862-8600.

In a separate post, Metro Nashville PD later wrote, “Tragically, Damarion Morehead, 12, has died from his injuries.”

An investigation is underway. Anyone with information about the incident or the shooter is urged to call 615-862-8600 or contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.