Senseless gun violence Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. has claimed the life of innocent bystander Shirley Crawley, 55, and wounded three teens, ages 18, 15, and 17, after at least two suspects opened fire on an orange Hyundai Elantra at the intersection of Clarksville and Buena Vista Pikes.
Crawley was driving her white Dodge Challenger on Clarksville Pike when she stopped at a red light. The driver of the Elantra, an 18-year-old female, stopped in the lane next to Crawley. A line of vehicles began to form behind both cars. A dark colored car, that appears to have been following the Elantra, also stopped on Clarksville Pike a few vehicles behind the Elantra. The driver of the dark colored car then quickly entered the turning lane (which had no traffic) next to the Elantra. At least two gunmen exited the car and began shooting into the Elantra, striking the driver and two of her three passengers. As the Elantra accelerated forward to flee, the gunmen continued to fire, striking Crawley multiple times. Her car slowly rolled forward until stopping in a parking lot. The occupants of the suspect car fled westbound onto Buena Vista Pike. Crawley was transported to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she died.
A short time after the shooting, the Hyundai Elantra crashed on 20th Avenue North and Hayes Street. It was occupied by the 18-year-old female driver, who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and one passenger, a 17-year-old male. They had reportedly been attempting to drive themselves to the hospital. Both were transported to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she is in critical condition. The 17-year-old had gunshot wounds to his arm and leg. He is in stable condition.
Witnesses at the scene of the crash told responding officers that two persons in the Elantra had gotten into a Chrysler Sebring that had just left the scene. Officers stopped the Sebring nearby. A 15-year-old male, with gunshot wounds, and a 15-year-old female, who had not been shot but had been injured when the Elantra wrecked, were both inside the Sebring. They were transported to Vanderbilt for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The other occupants of the Sebring were interviewed by detectives and released.
TITANS (The Investigative Team Addressing Neighborhood Shootings) Unit detectives are assisting Homicide Unit detectives in this ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information about Shirley Crawley’s murder is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward.