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Nashville Police Kill Teen Suspect Who Shot Officer

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Officer John Downs, 42, is an 18-year police department veteran who is assigned to the Special Response Team. Credit: MNPD

Officer John Downs, 42, is an 18-year police department veteran who is assigned to the Special Response Team. Credit: MNPD

Metro Police shot and killed a 16-year-old robbery suspect in Nashboro Village overnight.

Police say they used lethal force after officer John Downs was shot in the leg by Xavier McDonald, who was considered a runaway by authorities. He had locked himself in a bathroom. Negotiators had been brought in. When McDonald emerged, police say they attempted to Tazer him when he pulled a pistol and opened fire.

Four different officers fired their weapons, according to a release from the department. They’re all on routine administrative leave while an investigation continues. Officer Downs – who has been with the MNPD for 18 years – is in stable condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

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Blake Farmer, Host, This Is Nashville

Blake Farmer is the host of “This Is Nashville,” the flagship weekday show of Nashville Public Radio. Previously, Blake spent 16 years at WPLN News, serving as host, editor and news director. Before a two-year radio hiatus with a Nashville-based healthcare company, Blake was one of the country’s most prolific healthcare audio journalists. He produced stories for both local and national programs, extending the reach of his reporting through a partnership with KFF Health News. Outside of work, Blake can be found running or biking on roads that other Nashvillians consider too busy for such activities. So far, he has always made it home to his wife of 20 years and two children.

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