A 25-year-old man critically wounded in a Sunday morning shooting on Bell Road in Nashville has died, and police say the case is being treated as a self-defense investigation. Metro Nashville police identified the victim as Daniel Davila. He died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Homicide Unit detectives are leading the investigation. Based on the evidence collected so far, police said they will staff the case with the District Attorney. No charges have been filed.
What police say happened
The shooting happened at 5:20 a.m. in a strip business center in the 400 block of Bell Road. Davila suffered a very critical head wound and went to Vanderbilt in critical condition.
A 31-year-old man admits he shot Davila. He told detectives that Davila had a gun and tried to rob him in the parking lot.
The man said he had met Davila a short time earlier inside a hookah lounge in the same strip center. He told detectives Davila asked to buy cocaine. The man said he told Davila he didn’t use narcotics and left.
Driver stopped three minutes away
After the shooting, the 31-year-old drove away. He told police he feared for his safety. Officers stopped him in the 600 block of Bell Road, about three minutes from the scene. He said he was driving back to meet with officers when they stopped him.
Police recovered two guns. Officers found one at the shooting scene and one in the 31-year-old’s car.
Police have not said who owned or carried either gun. They have not released the 31-year-old’s name.
The self-defense claim remains under investigation. The District Attorney’s office will weigh in as detectives continue their work.
Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the Metro Nashville Police Department’s Homicide Unit.
