Murfreesboro, TN - The Murfreesboro Police Department's (MPD) Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) utilized gunshot detection technology to quickly apprehend three suspects involved in separate shooting incidents that occurred on March 17 and March 28.

There were no calls to 911 to report shots being fired, instead alerts from gunshot detention sensors generated a police response to Lee Street last month on the 17th.  This led to the arrest of 19-year-old Lamon McGowan Jr.  McGowan was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon. 

The incident occurred when a man, intending to sell a PlayStation 5 to McGowan, became suspicious that he was about to be robbed or scammed. The potential seller decided to leave, and as he drove away, a gunshot was fired at his pickup truck.

Gunshot detection sensors alert Murfreesboro police leading to the arrest of several gunmen in separate incidents.

RTCC’s Crime Data Analysts reviewed video from public safety cameras in the area, identifying McGowan as a potential suspect. Officers arrested McGowan at his home without incident.

"The effectiveness of our gunshot detection sensors, public safety cameras, and the quick action of our crime data analysts were pivotal in resolving this situation," Crime Analysis Unit (CAU) Supervisor Ryan Lawrence said. "Cutting-edge technology is playing a critical role in solving crime in our community."

Gunshot detection sensors also alerted officers of shots being fired in the parking lot of a business on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at a car show on Friday, March 28. No calls were made to 911, gunshot detection sensors prompted the police response. The two gunmen who fired shots into the air left the area riding orange and red motorcycles.  Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped the red motorcycle on Shelbyville Highway and detained the driver. During the traffic stop, the driver of the orange bike arrived and was also detained.

After a thorough investigation, 20-year-old Cayden Wiggins and 19-year-old Nicholas Adkison, both of Bell Buckle, were arrested. The two are charged with felony reckless endangerment, possession of a weapon while committing a felony, tampering with evidence, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon while under the influence, and underage consumption.

The red motorcycle had been reported stolen from Metro Nashville. Adkison is also facing property theft charges.

Adkison was released on a $27,500 bond, and Wiggins was released on a $22,500 bond from the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center (RCADC). Both are set to have hearings in Rutherford County General Sessions Court on June 10.

McGowan was released on a $4,500 bond and has a hearing set for April 14 in General Sessions Court.

The RTCC has been in use for almost a year.  In 2024, it experienced more than 400 successes (i.e., arrests, leads, warrants, or traffic stops explicitly associated with license plate readers or gunshot detection alerts), and helped recover 55 stolen vehicles.  The RTCC and CAU personnel also assisted with clearing more than 200 criminal cases, ranging from minor hit-and-run crashes to homicides.

As a reminder, the front parking lot of the Murfreesboro Police Department, 1004 N. Highland Avenue, is a Safe Exchange Zone where individuals wishing to sell or purchase items may meet to make transactions.  It is well-lit and monitored by surveillance cameras.