UPDATE: The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department announced that Anton Rucker, 46, has been captured. He is the gunman accused of opening fire and killing one person and wounding five others during an Easter Sunday brunch at a restaurant in the Tennessee capital.
Rucker was taken into custody after being tracked down by police to a residence in Princeton, Kentucky, WSMV reported.
“He came out and surrendered without incident. Rucker is being jailed in Kentucky on a fugitive from justice warrant,” the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department wrote on X.
April 2, 2024
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Metro Nashville Police Department said on Sunday that they believe a man with multiple assault convictions is the primary suspect in a shooting that took place at a restaurant on Easter Sunday in Nashville that left one person dead and several others wounded.
Anton Rucker, 46, was identified by MNPD as the suspect for a shooting at the Roasted Salemtown restaurant, according to the Daily Wire. Allen Beachem, 33, was shot and killed while five others were wounded. Additionally, one person sustained a graze injury and a pregnant woman had to be transported to the hospital due to a panic attack. The five wounded individuals were hospitalized but expected to survive.
Police spokesman Don Aaron said the shooting took place after Rucker got into an argument with another man.
“We don’t have any indication that they knew each other at this point,” Aaron said of the two in the argument. “It could be something as simple as one person invading another person’s space.”
Convicted felon Anton Rucker, 46, is being sought for the homicide at Roasted Salemtown. He has agg assault convictions in Nashville & was arrested in Murfreesboro on felony drug charges last 10/31, and on agg assault & gun charges last Aug. See Rucker? Pls????615-862-8600 pic.twitter.com/z3OObFb7r1
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 1, 2024
“Convicted felon Anton Rucker, 46, is being sought for the homicide at Roasted Salemtown. He has agg assault convictions in Nashville & was arrested in Murfreesboro on felony drug charges last 10/31, and on agg assault & gun charges last Aug,” Nashville police said.
On Monday, police recovered the Mercedes that Rucker reportedly used to flee the scene, but authorities were still searching for him.
March 31, 2024
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A gunman opened fire inside a Nashville restaurant during Easter Sunday brunch service, killing one person and wounding several others, authorities said.
Bullets were fired at the restaurant called Roasted, a popular brunch spot at 614 Garfield St. in the Salemtown section of the city, just before 3 p.m., according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.
The shooting took place when two men became involved in an altercation. One man pulled out a weapon and discharged multiple rounds before fleeing the scene. The man who was fatally shot is believed to be the other person involved in the altercation, MNPD spokesman Don Aaron said.
Meanwhile, seven others suffered injuries, according to police. Five individuals were shot. Several ambulances rushed to the eatery and took away patrons, according to The Tennessean.
The five wounded victims who were transported to the hospital suffered non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to survive, Aaron said.
A sixth person suffered a graze wound, though it is not clear if the wound was caused by a scratch or a bullet. The seventh victim, a pregnant woman, was transported to a hospital after suffering a panic attack, Aaron said.
At the time of the shooting, Roasted was packed with customers sipping mimosas, dancing to a DJ, and taking photos with a staff member dressed as the Easter bunny.
MNPD released the photo below of the gunman sought in the homicide.
Police are still searching for the suspected gunman. (X – @MNPDNashvill)
Dia Settle was with a group of mothers playing with their kids in the playground, the New York Post reported.
“Everyone was grabbing the children and running or dropping on the ground,” she said. “I got waves of chills because I could tell someone was hurt, just from the sound and that many gunshots.”
Witnesses described two men arguing before one of the individuals pulled out a gun and started shooting.
“Detectives are working to determine the motive for this gunman opening fire during Sunday brunch at Roasted on Garfield St.,” Metro Nashville Police said in a statement.
The suspected shooter fled the restaurant in a Mercedes GLS 450 and remains at large, police said.
The suspect reportedly fled in the above Mercedes GLS 450. (X – @MNPDNashville)
Detectives from MNPD’s Titan Unit, which specializes in finding violent suspects, were at the scene and presently searching for the gunman, The Tennessean reported.
“They’re very good at what they do,” Aaron said. “There’s a lot of work being put in right now to try to locate this man.”
Police are asking anyone with information to call 615-862-8600.
