Franklin, Tenn. – Middle Tennesseans should always remain watchful for strangers around their children, as highlighted in a recent unlawful photography case that involved highly inappropriate pictures that were believed to have been captured on a cellphone. The alarming incident occurred in Franklin, near Cool Springs Galleria on March 14.

According to Franklin Police, officers are keeping their eyes open for a man who allegedly used his phone to take inappropriate photos of a minor who was inside the Target store on Galleria Blvd.

Authorities say that a 12-year-old girl and her mother were shopping at the retail center when they noticed the suspect squatting down with his phone aimed upward at the victim. The mother reported seeing the suspect tapping the screen of his phone, seemingly to capture photos of the young girl.

A similar incident occurred last year at another nearby store. In that case, an 11-year-old victim was inside a bathroom stall when someone reached their arm under the stall, holding a cellphone aimed directly at the child. The victim reported that the phone was facing him and it was clear that the man was taking either photos or a video of him.

The suspect in this most recent case is described as a black male with a long black and grey beard. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a navy t-shirt, grey pants, and a red bandana. After the encounter, he was seen leaving the store in a dark grey or blue SUV.

Franklin police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information about the suspect to come forward. The Franklin Police Department can be reached at (615) 794-2513, and anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Williamson County at (615) 794-4000. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

• This case, identified as Case No. 2025000825, remains under investigation.

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