NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A teenager is dead, and another is facing homicide charges following a fight that escalated into a deadly shooting at the WeGo Central bus station in downtown Nashville on Tuesday.
Police said Shamari Bailey, 15, a Metro Nashville Public Schools student, is charged in connection to the death of Braden Caldwell, 16, also a Metro student and attendee of the Johnson Alternative Learning Center.
The incident has raised concerns among parents about the safety of students who rely on public transit to get to and from school. April Hanners, whose 15-year-old daughter uses the WeGo system, says this tragedy highlights ongoing safety issues.
“As a mom, I’m being reassured this is a safe option, and I’m being shown time and time again it’s not,” Hanners said.
Hanners’ daughter had just left the downtown station when the shooting occurred.
“Many of her friends were there and witnessed what happened,” she said.
Despite police describing the shooting as a targeted incident, Hanners said it’s not the first troubling event her daughter has experienced at the station.
“A man sat down next to her and started to talk to her,” Hanners recalled. “During that time, he reached over, grabbed her hand, and attempted to get her to touch him. She was extremely uncomfortable, got up, and walked away. He followed her around the station.”
Hanners, a single mother, said WeGo is her daughter’s only transportation option because her school is not zoned for their neighborhood.
“I’m stretched thin on how am I going to be able to get her to and from school? How am I going to provide a safe environment for her?” she said.
According to an MNPS spokesperson, nearly 4,000 students and staff rode WeGo buses in August through the district’s STRIDE program, which provides free rides. That accounts for more than 67,000 rides on public transit.
“If 4,000 students and staff are riding WeGo, there have to be more people experiencing similar situations,” Hanners said.
Hanners believes a larger law enforcement presence is needed at bus stations, particularly during times when students are commuting.
“Even if it’s just for those brief moments of time when there will be an increased student presence, even if it’s a bump up on security,” she said.
WeGo CEO Steve Bland released a statement about the shooting:
“We are saddened by this tragedy and are thinking about those impacted. We strive for complete safety and security for all our riders. We have a long-standing relationship with the Metro Nashville Police Department. We appreciate the quick response from MNPD and our WeGo Safety and Security Team. However, the incident itself is tragic and situations like this are something we continue to work with all of our partner agencies to prevent in the future.”
Earlier this year, WeGo brought in a nationally recognized public transportation safety and security firm to review its security practices and make recommendations.
MNPS also released a statement:
"We were deeply saddened to learn of the shooting death of Braden Caldwell, a student at the Johnson Alternative Center, yesterday afternoon at the WeGo bus terminal. Our hearts go out to his family and friends grieving his loss. Our grief counseling team was on site today to help students and staff process this tragic loss.
The alleged shooter attended McGavock High School."
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
