Metro Nashville Police officers shoot and kill man in North Nashville

Metro Nashville Police officers have fatally shot a man on the 900 block of Buchanan Street in North Nashville.

Police say that calls came in about a man shouting with a gun in the area. The department says it responded and officers fatally shot him. Edited video was released by the Metro Nashville Police Department early Monday morning.

Metro Nashville Community Oversight says it is reviewing the incident.

The MNCO team just finished watching the TBI mark the evidence on the scene and now headed to Police HQ’s to view the BWC/ICCs. The deceased is a 48 yo black male.

— Nashville Community Review Board (@NCRBNashville) January 30, 2023

In the video released by Metro police, a 911 caller says a man is in the middle of Buchanan Street between the popular businesses Slim & Husky’s and Willie B’s. The caller says the man has a gun, and was making threats at people.

“Security and everybody is trying to have restraint,” the caller says. “He needs to stop, for real.”

The caller says it seems like the man is possibly struggling with his mental health.

“I don’t know if he’s homeless. I don’t want the police to come and he’s mentally disabled or something like that — I still want to watch out for that. Y’all need to come get him though.”

Then, the caller tells the dispatcher that the police arrived.

MNPD officer Dylan Ramos’ body and in-car camera footage takes it from there. When Ramos arrives on the scene, the man is standing in a bike lane. He turns and walks away. After taking a few steps, he turns back towards Ramos, who was calling to him saying “Sir! Sir!”

Less than 20 seconds after arriving on the scene, Ramos shoots the man.

The 911 caller remained on the line and can be heard shouting “Please don’t shoot. Don’t shoot him! Don’t shoot him!” as more than ten gun shots ring out in the background.

Police say aid was rendered at the scene and he was transported to the hospital, where he later died.

Second shooting of 2023

This is the second fatal police shooting in Nashville this year. The first occurred on Jan. 5, when a SWAT officer fatally shot Mark Capps.

It comes as the state of Tennessee is grappling with police response and violence. Protests took place in Memphis and other cities around the country after Memphis Police released body camera footage of officers violently beating Tyre Nichols.

More: Ex-officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols were not part of the national police union that typically defends these cases

Nearing the end of January, MNPD has nearly surpassed the total number of fatal shootings from 2022. Three people were shot and killed by police last year — and the majority of those shootings were related to mental health.

Update: This story has been updated to include information from video released Monday morning by Nashville police.

This is a developing story. Some things that get reported early on, by the media or law enforcement, could later turn out to be wrong. WPLN News will have updates as the situation develops.