NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – In the last 14 years, guns have been used in more than half of the domestic violence-related murders in Nashville. The latest incident was an attempted murder-suicide in Antioch.
On Monday, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) identified the man who they said showed up at his ex-girlfriend’s house and shot three people, before turning the gun on himself. Sadly, advocates have been tracking this type of crime for several years, and have seen domestic violence cases slowly increase.
“It’s a heartbreak. It’s shocking to the community as a whole and it is shocking to us, anytime you have a mass shooting like this, which is what this was – a mass shooting – in one household,” said Diane Lance, director of the Metro Office of Family Safety.
The MNPD identified the shooter as 25-year-old Emilio Lopez. According to detectives, Lopez knocked on the door of his ex-girlfriend’s home. Once he found out she wasn’t home, Lopez reportedly waited for her to return, which is when the shooting started. Police said Lopez shot his 31-year-old ex-girlfriend, her 7-year-old son, and her 21-year-old cousin. All were injured in the shooting.
“An estranged relationship between the 31-year-old woman and the shooter, causing the shooter to come here today. He didn’t live here presently, with a gun, and suddenly started shooting,” said Don Aaron, an MNPD Spokesperson.
Detectives said the shooting happened before Lopez shot himself and died. Right now, detectives is investigating Lopez’s death as a suicide.
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It’s incidents like this that often bring the reality of domestic violence to the forefront.
“We noticed that since 2015, we started seeing familicides. That is a shooting that is a shooting of family members in numbers, not just one individual in a household, and including children,” explained Lance.
It’s one of many findings from the Metro Office of Family Safety. This month, the department released its 2022 Domestic Violence Homicide in Nashville Report, revealing how 2022 saw the highest number of domestic violence homicides in Nashville since 2010.
“[It’s] really disturbing to us. It is one of the highest risk factors for victims of domestic violence,” Lance said. “These are predominantly crimes against women and there is a history of shame to the victim in those types of crimes, and that just allows it to go unchecked and unaddressed for years, and so it puts victims in a very perilous situation.”
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Police are still investigating the shooting. Advocates with the Metro Office of Family Safety are available to help those seeking resources and safety planning tips. They ask anyone who needs help to call 615-880-1100. The Family Safety Center is open 24/7 to provide in-person assistance with orders of protection.
If you are in immediate danger at any time, call 911.
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