NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A local pastor is speaking out about the prevalence of gun violence in Nashville after he said his truck was shot at five times in an Inglewood driveway.

Curtis Bryant, lead pastor of Greater Heights Missionary Baptist Church, said he pulled over briefly to check his phone behind a gas station off of Gallatin Pike. As he was trying to turn around in a driveway, he said a man wearing a mask approached him. Bryant believes the man was trying to carjack him.

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“I saw him coming with a ski mask on, reach for my door handle, I was in reverse already, and I just stepped on it,” Bryant recalled. “I guess I angered him because I didn’t allow him to do maybe what he wanted to do. So out of anger, he shot my vehicle.”

Bryant said several years ago his car was also shot at while parked on 16^th Avenue North. He said someone had been shooting down the street near where his car happened to be. However, he said what happened to him earlier this month was much different.

“The intent was for me and it was traumatic, but I thank God that I’m still alive, but shooting and this kind of violence can strike anywhere,” Bryant said. “I guess I was just shown that I’m not exempt.”

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Bryant had to replace several tires and still has damage to his headlight and his driver’s side door. Although he initially pulled over to check his phone, he said keeping it brief and paying attention behind the wheel helped keep him safe.

“Be careful. Keep your heads up, because if I would’ve kept my head down for another few seconds, he would have been upon me without my being aware,” Bryant said.

Bryant spends much of his time working to address gun violence in the area. Last year around Juneteenth, he even helped coordinate a ceasefire initiative in his neighborhood.

Nonetheless, he explained no one is immune to gun violence and urges everyone to stay alert.

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“It’s unfortunate but gun violence is very prevalent. I’m not exempt and the people are not exempt,” Bryant said. “We’ve got to do whatever we can to keep young people conscious and us to keep aware of potentially volatile situations.”

Bryant is one of several local pastors meeting with Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Monday, June 24 to discuss solutions to address the area’s gun violence. In particular, Monday’s meeting will focus on how to reduce gun violence among Nashville’s youth.

News 2 has also reached out to the Metro Nashville Police Department for more information on the shots fired incident, but has yet to hear back.

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