MTSU professor shares research on gang violence in Middle Tennessee

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The mass shooting on Jefferson Street during Tennessee State University’s homecoming celebrations highlights the danger of gangs in Nashville.

An expert who has studied the danger of gangs for years shared with News 2 what he’s seeing in Middle Tennessee and what the latest incident tells him.

It was a violent weekend in Nashville, after gunfire rang out Saturday evening near the intersection of Jefferson Street and 27th Avenue North.

At least nine people were injured, including children, and one man —identified as 24-year-old Vonquae Johnson— died in the shooting.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MPND), five individuals, including the deceased victim, all have local gang affiliations.

“Nashville has had recurring gang issues off and on just like every other large city in the country,” said Carter Smith, assistant professor at Middle Tennessee State University for the Department of Criminal Justice.

Smith has studied gangs and connections within the military for years.

“In the early 90s, we started seeing gangs that were recognizable to police officers,” Smith said.

He said over the years, gangs have evolved. According to his research, in 2011 students and police saw a growing gang problem within the campus community.

“Ultimately, the leaders of the gang get further and further away from the violence because they realize it will get them locked up and they have a variety of soldiers to choose from because every young teenage boy in the area thinks they have something to prove,” Smith explained.

In the case on Saturday, MNPD said one of the shooters encountered someone who they’ve had prior conflict with. Both parties exchanged fire and innocent bystanders were hit in the crossfire. Carter said this indicated to him that the situation was gang-related.

“In a regular civilized society, people would not jump to violence based on [people] saying something, hearing something, doing something,” Smith said.