One man escapes gunshots at MTMC on The Murfreesboro Post

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One man escapes gunshots at MTMC

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By: Lisa Marchesoni

Posted: Monday, July 6, 2009 3:37 pm

Suspects fired at least seven rounds but missed a man sitting outside the Middle Tennessee Medical Center emergency room Friday at 400 Highland Ave., Murfreesboro Police reported Monday.

It was one of three shootings from 3:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. off Middle Tennessee Boulevard and off East Main Street. Two other people suffered gunshot wounds. The shootings were believed related. Arrest warrants are pending.

Victim William Cantrell, 34, of Bridge Avenue was sitting about 5:20 a.m. at the emergency room entrance on Bell Street when a silver vehicle pulled into the parking lot. One man and two men got out and confronted him, Officer Lo Sidadouangleuth reported.

While Cantrell and the man exchanged words, the two women tried to hit him, the officer reported. Cantrell punched the man several times and slammed him into the ground. The man made a racist remark toward Cantrell and said “Let me get to my car.

“The subject ran to his vehicle to retrieve a handgun, then came back and began firing the handgun in the direction where Mr. Cantrell was,” Sidadouangleuth reported. “Mr. Cantrell heard the gunshots and fled on foot around the hospital.”

Police found seven 9mm Taurus shell casings at the entrance.

The suspects fled in a silver Chrysler LHS. Officers Sam Day, Brandon Benge and Vy Phothirath stopped the vehicle on Academy Street and took the suspects into custody. Arrest warrants are pending on the suspects.

In a related shooting, Phothirath reported victim Adareus Dixon, 22, of, Player Drive, suffered a gunshot wound to his right leg while driving on Eagle Street. He was treated at MTMC.

The victim refused to give any information to police.

In a third case, Officer Marja Atchley reported victim Elliott Dumas Jr., 22, of Hunt Street, suffered a gunshot wound to his neck and right leg on Eagle Street. He was treated at MTMC.

Companion Quentell Smith, 21, of National Drive, told Atchley he and Dumas were riding about 3:30 a.m. on Eagle Street when he “heard several gunshots and realized the suspects were shooting at him.”

Dumas suffered injuries and several rounds damaged Smith’s Chevrolet Blazer.

Officer Cody Ciazza reported he and several officers responded to a shooting at the 1400 block of Eagle Street where Dixon and Dumas were apparently shot. They located three fired bullet fragments, four shell casings and six gold bracelets.

“Residents of the area claim to have seen nothing in relation to the crime,” Ciazza reported.

Detectives processed the crime scene for more evidence.

People who have information about the shootings are asked to call the Criminal Investigations Division at 893-2717 or Crime Stoppers at 893-STOP between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Tagged under MTMC, shootings, William Cantrell

Member Opinions:

By: ahhhdude on 7/6/09
Gangs gettin bad in this town!

By: bennychaff on 7/6/09
They don't want the law abiding to be able to carry a gun. But when the thugs in town start shooting nobody sees anything. How can I feel safe if I can't carry my weapon everywhere I go and no one will speak up when a crime happens?

By: TimeforJustice on 7/6/09
If the people in that area want the crime to stop then they need to grow some courage and turn in the people that make the neighborhood a dangerous place to live. Silence is acceptance and leaves no room to complain. It is time to stop living in fear and stand up for what is right not what is comfortable.

By: Wil2hike on 7/7/09
"One man and two men got out and confronted him" - so would that be 3 men?

By: Farmall on 7/7/09
Notice the street names, this is not just downtown slums anymore. As far as citizens giving up the names, if they did, they could possibly be confronted by these thugs hours later after they get released bond out etc.

By: mhm2a on 7/7/09
The police can only help so much. It should be up to the citizens to put a stop to this behavior. You can do this by being a good witness or otherwise involved in your community.

By: diddlede on 7/7/09
Maybe the City needs to open up a police station in the Eagle Street area. This might be a little of a deterrent.

By: tnlonestar on 7/7/09
All these areas are next to the new Wal-Mart area. I personally know these area's very well Cause i used to live there. I also Know This William Cantrell Fellow too,& I'd say all the shootings are Drug related.

I Want go any futher than that,But what Go's Around,Comes Around When you live these type of life styles.....

Theres always gonna be a new kid on the block.....

By: RespectTheLaw on 7/8/09
tnlonestar: If you use to live in that area you should know Middle TN Med. Center is pretty far away from Wal-Mart, which isn't new anymore by the way.

By: tnlonestar on 7/8/09
Well RespectTheLaw Are you a Law Man? If so you Know Mr Cantrell yourself & you also know He stays right up the road from Eagle St. I Dont care where the article says he resides. Everyone that knows him, Knows where to find him.
Why he was at the Emergency Room On BELL STREET Not Medical Center parkway is beyond me,But i can only guess.
Also Any long time residents of Murfreesboro Knows Which Wal-Mart is The newest one out of the two we have. Didn't meen to confuse you & make you think we got a brand new Wal-Mart Mr Lawman,But i dont think thats what your trying to do is it? You knew what Wal-Mart i was talking about huh?

By: talyho on 7/8/09
Eagle Street runs along between Minerva and Middle TN Blvd. If I'm not mistaken, the 1400 block is over behind Sonic and the shopping complex that houses (housed?) Fred's. I live in that general area, but not on that street. I've heard what sounded like gun shots coming from that area before when I've been up late, so I'm not surprised to hear of something else. Perhaps nobody saw anything because it was about 3:30 am and people were sleeping? I know that I was. Maybe someone heard something though?

By: Dave42 on 7/9/09
I used to live in that area of Eagle St. and if memory serves, Eagle St, and Bridge Ave and not close to each other, like on the other side of town from each other. I know a lot of things have changed since I was last in the 'Boro, but I'm sure they haven't moved the streets around.