The Third Councilmanic District (Councilman Walter Hunt) in partnership with the Woods Amphitheatre Community Fund is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person(s) responsible for Saturday night’s fatal shooting of LaShunda Brown, 32, inside her 3229 Spears Road residence during a birthday party she was hosting for her 24-year-old brother who was visiting from Chicago.

Witnesses reported that just after 10:30 p.m. two masked gunmen approached the rear of the house, entered a garage where the party was being held, and demanded cash. A struggle ensued and shots were fired striking Brown and three guests, Delano Blair, 29, Marquez Baugh, 25, and Chelsey Kephart, 20. Blair, Baugh and Kephart were transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where they were treated and released. Brown died on the scene. The gunmen fled on foot.

It appears the gunmen had prior knowledge of the party and planned to rob the guests.

Anyone with information that can assist Madison Precinct detectives in identifying the person or persons who killed LaShunda Brown is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME. Citizens can also send an electronic tip to Crime Stoppers by texting the word “CASH” along with their message to 274637 (CRIMES) or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com. Persons who contact Crime Stoppers by phone, text or Internet can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward.

The $2,000 reward is in addition to the reward (up to $1,000) offered by Crime Stoppers.

Gang Unit officers, working closely with East Precinct detectives, last night located murder suspect Michael Mills, 18, and stopped the vehicle he was in on Fern Street near Weakley Avenue.

Mills, who is now charged in Wednesday’s fatal shooting of Quintin Johnson outside 1044 Chicamauga Avenue, fled on foot. During the pursuit, Mills turned and pointed a handgun at an officer. He was found hiding in a nearby home that was being remodeled and taken into custody. A nine-millimeter pistol was recovered.

Mills is accused of shooting Johnson, 22, during a robbery early Wednesday morning. Johnson was a passenger in a Chevrolet Suburban driven by Ronald Partee, 22. Partee reported that he and Johnson were parked outside the Chicamauga Avenue residence at 2:30 a.m. when Mills allegedly fired shots into the SUV striking Johnson. The gunman then robbed Partee of his boots, pants, cocaine and cash. During the execution of a search warrant, East Precinct detectives located Partee’s pants and boots inside the Chicamauga Avenue house.

Mills, of Stewarts Lane, was convicted at age 16 of aggravated robbery in 2009. He is now charged with criminal homicide, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault against a police officer, resisting arrest and unlawful handgun possession. Mills is being held in lieu of $1,110,000 bond.

The masked and gloved gunman killed late Wednesday night during a home invasion robbery at an apartment in the Brentridge complex on Bell Road is identified as convicted drug felon Michael Shane Martin, 35, of Hickory Hollow Parkway in Antioch.

The continuing investigation by South Precinct detectives shows that Martin knocked on the door of the apartment that Michael Moffitt, 29, shares with his girlfriend, Caycee Albright, 26. When the couple looked out of the peephole, it was covered from the outside. Moffitt directed Albright to the bedroom and told her to call police. Moffitt, who is a firearms enthusiast and had legal weapons in the apartment, retrieved an AR-15 rifle and again checked the peephole. Seeing that it was no longer covered, Moffitt opened the door. At that point, Martin, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, forced his way in and shoved Moffitt hard into an interior wall. Moffitt opened fire on Martin with the rifle, fatally wounding him.

A second man wearing a ski mask was seen on the backside of the apartment building. He fled the area after hearing the gunshots. Efforts are continuing to identify him.

Moffitt said he didn’t know Martin. Albright, however, said she was acquainted with him through mutual associates.

At this point, detectives theorize that Martin may have come to the apartment as part of a plot to rob Moffitt of his firearms.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Moffitt fired on Martin in self-defense. No charges were placed against him. Albright was found to have an outstanding warrant charging her with leaving the scene of a property damage accident last year. She was arrested on that matter and was released after posting a $5,000 bond.

Martin was convicted of six felony drug counts last November and received a seven-year probated sentence.

West Precinct detectives Wednesday charged convicted felon Erroll L. Armstrong with criminal homicide for Tuesday morning’s shooting death of Robert Mitchell at Mitchell’s Alabama Avenue apartment.

The investigation, led by Detective Shane Stokes, shows that Armstrong, 60, of Due West Avenue in Madison, had been out drinking with Mitchell. An argument ensued. Armstrong said he ordered Mitchell to get out of his car upon arriving at the West Wind complex. After a time, Armstrong went to Mitchell’s apartment. When Mitchell came to the door, Armstrong said he shot him in the leg. The wound caused extensive blood loss and Mitchell, 59, died at the scene.

Ironically, Armstrong was convicted just last June of shooting another man in the leg outside a bar on Tucker Road. Armstrong received a ten-year probated sentence. Armstrong’s arrest history reflects 155 charges since 1975. In addition to last year’s aggravated assault case, Armstrong has also been convicted of domestic assault, several other misdemeanor assaults, vehicle theft, robbery, criminal trespassing, theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, DUI and multiple counts of driving on a revoked license.

Armstrong is jailed in lieu of $500,000 bond.

West Precinct detectives are working to identify the gunman responsible for Tuesday morning’s fatal shooting of 59-year-old Robert Mitchell at his apartment in the West Wind complex at 3902 Alabama Avenue.

A neighbor discovered the door to Mitchell’s unit standing open just after 5 a.m. The resident looked inside, saw Mitchell on the floor and notified police. Officers discovered that Mitchell was dead from an apparent gunshot wound to his lower body. A canvas of the complex revealed that a shot was heard in the 1:45 to 2 a.m. timeframe; however, police were not called then.

The investigation to this point indicates that Mitchell had likely just answered his door when he was shot. The motive has not been determined. Robbery appears unlikely.

Anyone with information on who would want to harm Robert Mitchell is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME. Citizens can also send an electronic tip to Crime Stoppers by texting the word “CASH” along with their message to 274637 (CRIMES) or by logging onto www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com. Persons who contact Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a $1,000 cash reward.

East Precinct detectives this afternoon charged 19-year-old Samuel Maurice Parham with criminal homicide for Monday night’s fatal shooting of 18-year-old Vincent Antonio Smith in the James Cayce public housing development.

Moments after the shooting, Officer Nicholas Kulp, who happened to be close by conducting a vehicle stop, heroically chased Parham for a several block distance and over a barbed wire fence. When Parham reached for his waistband, Officer Kulp fired on him in self-defense. Parham was wounded in the upper right arm. The nine millimeter pistol he was carrying was recovered.

Ballistics testing by the TBI Crime Laboratory has linked that nine millimeter gun to Smith’s murder. In addition, before going into medical distress, Smith was able to tell first responding Officer Will Mathis that “Sam” shot him.

Parham was charged earlier this week with attempted aggravated assault on a police officer for his confrontation with Officer Kulp. He is also facing aggravated assault and vandalism charges for an incident involving his girlfriend last month.

Officer Kulp is recovering from a hand injury received when he scaled the fence in pursuit of Parham. He is expected to return to duty soon.

North Precinct detectives are working to identify the gunman who last night fatally shot Jeffery Short, 20, in a parking lot at the Buena Vista Manor Apartments at 2400 Buena Vista Pike.

Short was found lying near the open driver’s side door of a car, which was still running, at 11:15 p.m. Short, of Heritage Drive, was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call North Precinct Detective Stanley Truitt at 862-7892 or Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME. Citizens can also send an electronic tip to Crime Stoppers by texting the word “CASH” along with their message to 274637 (CRIMES) or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com.

Short was arrested in August for allegedly selling crack cocaine. He was free on $8,000 bond.

Madison Precinct detectives have sworn out an arrest warrant charging convicted felon Antonio Flenoy with the January 20th murder of Tashelle Vaughn inside Vaughn’s apartment in the Charter Village complex on Rio Vista Drive.

Flenoy, 24, and Vaughn, 21, were known to each other. He and another woman were visiting at Vaughn’s apartment when the shooting occurred. The female reported that she was in another room when she heard Vaughn ask Flenoy why he was pointing a gun at her. She then heard a shot.

Flenoy, who has convictions for selling cocaine and unlawful gun possession from 2009, is last known to have lived in the 1800 block of Lischey Avenue. In addition to the murder warrant, he is also wanted on outstanding warrants from other matters charging him with domestic assault, probation violation and failure to appear in court.

Anyone seeing Flenoy or knowing his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME. Citizens can also send an electronic tip to Crime Stoppers by texting the word “CASH” along with their message to 274637 (CRIMES) or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com. Persons who provide information to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Madison Precinct detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a man wanted for questioning in connection with Tuesday night’s murder of James William Ray at the intersection of Westchester Drive and Stilton Drive.

The investigation to this point reveals that Ray picked up a male acquaintance from a Dickerson Pike store a short time before he was shot.  The acquaintance has been identified and interviewed.

Surveillance cameras in the Dickerson Pike business recorded images of the acquaintance talking for an extended period with another man last night.  The acquaintance claims he does not know that man’s name.

Anyone recognizing the individual from the surveillance photos is urged to immediately contact the Emergency Communications Center at 862-8600 or Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME.  Citizens can also send an electronic tip to Crime Stoppers by texting the word “CASH” along with their message to 274637 (CRIMES) or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com.

Robbery has not been ruled out as a possible motive for Ray’s murder.

Surveillance photo

Surveillance photo

The man fatally wounded Tuesday inside his vehicle on Westchester Drive at Stilton Drive is identified as James William Ray, 58, of Cottontown, Tennessee.

Madison Precinct detectives have developed significant leads during the night and are working to confirm the gunman’s identity.

Officers were dispatched to 1227 Westchester Drive at 8:51 p.m. on a report of a vehicle crash.  A red Pontiac Sunfire had run off the road and struck a house.  An examination of Ray, the driver, showed that he had been shot.