Nashville and Tennessee Crime

Metropolitan Nashville police say Fisk University sophomore Andre Bell, 20, was shot in the head and killed while driving on Interstate 65 northbound in Nashville as he and two friends returned to campus from a gymnastics event. According to investigators, Bell’s Nissan Sentra was alongside a black sedan in the left lane when Bell’s passengers, distracted by their phones, suddenly heard multiple gunshots and realized he had been hit; the Sentra then spun into traffic and struck a pickup truck while the dark sedan fled. Bell was taken in critical condition to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died, and police believe the shooter’s vehicle likely has windshield damage based on shattered glass recovered at the scene. Fisk officials said Bell, a business administration major and member of the men’s basketball team, was a "gentle young man" and "dominant force" on the court remembered for his smile and warmth, and the university has asked for prayers as the community mourns. The killing, which appears to be a targeted or drive‑by freeway shooting with suspects still at large, underscores ongoing concerns about roadway gun violence and leaves authorities appealing for tips on the suspect car.