Mayor O’Connell talks Belmont student shooter’s mental health history
“We do not want to be in a scenario where people we know are threats or are considered armed and dangerous.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Since Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig was shot and killed, questions about the suspect’s criminal history have been on the rise.
In a roundtable on Thursday, Mayor Freddie O’Connell brought up the suspect’s mental health.
“We do not want to be in a scenario where people we know are threats or are considered armed and dangerous,” O’Connell said.
The Metro Nashville Police Department said Shaquille Taylor is charged in connection to the shooting death of 18-year-old Jillian Ludwig. He was released from jail months earlier because doctors found him intellectually incompetent to stand trial.
That case began two years ago, when police said Taylor shot at a woman’s car. He was charged with aggravated assault and was in custody for almost two years.
However, Taylor was let go before his trial after a doctor deemed him incompetent.
O’Connell said Metro leaders are discussing the issue with state lawmakers.
“One, is there a scenario where they should not be legally allowed to possess firearms?” O’Connell said. “Two, there’s a huge gap there not just in the criminal legal process, but in the treatment and housing process as well.”
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