UPDATE: What was thought to be a road-rage incident in Rutherford County this past weekend, was actually a targeted crime.
One suspect was charged with attempted first-degree murder after he allegedly shot a La Vergne woman Saturday on Interstate 24, Rutherford County Sheriff’s detectives said Monday.
Eye-witness Carl Bauer told WGNS NEWS...
The suspect allegedly fired upon the victim from the window of a Cadillac.
As for the victim, Detective Joseph Duncan said that 19-Year old Rickiya Compton was listed in critical but stable condition Monday. Duncan, who is with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, is the lead investigator.
Duncan charged 20-year old suspect Keyonn Warfield of Clearklake Drive in La Vergne with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit attempted first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon while committing a dangerous felony.
The second suspect was 19-year old Rizighallah Ivan Khemis of Nichole Lane in La Vergne. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit attempted first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon while committing a dangerous felony.
Initial reports stated the shooting was a possible road rage situation, but as authorities learned more about the case, it was discovered that road rage was not the root of the problem.
Detective Capt. Britt Reed said, “We believe this was a targeted shooting.” Reed went on to state, “We believe there was a connection of the suspects to the victim.”
The investigation began when Murfreesboro Police dispatchers received 911 calls about a man firing several rounds at another vehicle Saturday afternoon on Interstate 24 eastbound toward Chattanooga near the Medical Center Parkway exit.
Sheriff’s deputies found Compton suffered a gunshot wound. She was treated by Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services paramedics before being flown by LifeFlight helicopter to the hospital.
She was riding with her twin sister, Rickelle, and another man in the vehicle.
A witness followed the suspects, obtained a license plate number and notified Murfreesboro Police.
La Vergne Police located the vehicle at a residence in La Vergne. The suspects were later stopped and detained by police and sheriff’s deputies in another vehicle a short distance away.
Sheriff’s detectives questioned the suspects. They were charged and booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Warfield is being held on $175,000 bond and Khemis was held on $125,000 bond. A hearing is scheduled Sept. 13 in General Sessions Court.
PREVIOUS NEWS STORY BELOW (With Audio):
(MURFREESBORO) WGNS NEWS has more on the Saturday (3/6/2021) afternoon "road rage" shooting that took place on I-24 near I-840. An eye-witness told NewsRadio WGNS what he saw (hear the below soubdbytes on WGNSradio.com)...
That was Carl Bauer, a local plumber who was there when the incident happened. The injured female was in the backseat of the car with her siblings and received a gunshot wound to the head.
He said the victim's family contacted him with good news about the 19-year old girl...
But that was not the only good news Bauer had...
Bauer said that the entire attempt at getting the license tag took a total of 5 to 7-minutes, and the suspect slowed to be less noticable. There was plenty of traffic at lunchtime on Medical Center Parkway, Manson Pike, and Florence Road areas.
2nd Good Samaritan
There was another Good Samaritan who helped with this I-24 tragedy. Chattanooga Fire Department's Captain Brad Petty was returning home after attending his son's wrestling tournament. He saw a man jumping out of a car and frantically waving for help. Petty administered first-aid to a 19-year old female with a gunshot wound to the head. The fireman's daughter, who is a lifeguard, was on the cellphone updating dispatch about the 19-year old girl's condition.
The Chattanooga Fire Department issued a statement:
The Chattanooga Fire Department wants to commend Captain Brad Petty (Engine 9, Green Shift) for his actions while off-duty on Saturday. He rushed to render aid to a shooting victim in a terrifying incident on I-24 in Rutherford County. Captain Petty was with his family on the way home from his son’s wrestling tournament when they saw a car swerve off to the side of the interstate. As they got closer, a man jumped out of the car and was frantically waving for someone to stop and help. Brad pulled over and found a young woman suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She was traveling with her siblings and someone shot into their car, a bullet striking her in the back seat. Captain Petty opened her airway and used her brother’s shirt to apply pressure to her wounds. As all of this was happening, Brad’s daughter, a Chattanooga lifeguard, relayed important information to dispatch and provided comfort to the victim's siblings. The Petty family captured video of LifeFlight landing on the interstate to take the woman to the hospital.
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office told media outlets that the shooting took place after a possible road rage incident on the eastbound side of I-24 near the Interstate 840 exit just before 1 p.m. The condition of the victim is unknown, it was reported. The investigation is ongoing.
Captain Petty and his daughter provided assistance in a very scary situation. Our firefighters are incredible and always willing to help, no matter what.
“When I saw the panic in that man’s face, I knew I needed to stop and do what I could. I am really proud of how calm my daughter remained and I’m just glad we were in the right place at the right time. I ask for prayers for the victim and her family,” Captain Petty stated.
WGNS is awaiting confirmation from the Sheriff's Office and will update listeners on the suspect's name Monday.
Hear the entire conversation that WGNS News had with witness Carl Bauer:
Previous Details:
One person suffered injuries during what is being investigated as a road rage situation on I-24 near I-840 in Murfreesboro. Reports indicate one subject fired upon another as the temper of the shooter evidently flared.
The shooting occurred at 12:52 PM Saturday (3/6/2021) afternoon. It happened at eastbound (toward Chattanooga) mile marker 75.5, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriffs Office says that LifeFlight helicopter landed on the interstate and transported one woman to a Nashville hospital with life threatening injuries.
A Murfreesboro man says that he saw it all unfold. He was on I-24 when he saw the weapon being aimed and then bullet casings flying. Within seconds, the shooter fled the scene and exited the interstate at a high rate of speed. The witness was in pursuit and talking with police over his cell phone, but lost the track of the shooter when the subject turned into a neighborhood.
Fortunately, the witness was able to record the license plate number on the suspect vehicle before getting away. The license plate number and a description of the vehicle was passed along to officers.
