OAN’s Abril Elfi
10:18 AM – Sunday, October 22, 2023
Tennessee police have been searching for the son of a Nashville police chief who is suspected of shooting of two officers.
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Authorities held a press conference on Sunday announcing the manhunt for 38-year-old John C. Drake Jr., who is the son of Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake in connection to the shooting of two police officers outside a Dollar General store.
La Vergne Police Chief Christopher Moews stated that the officers, Ashely Boleyjack and Gregory Kern, were in the southwest of Nashville on Saturday investigating a stolen vehicle when they were shot by the suspect after struggling to arrest him.
Reportedly, Drake issued a statement where he confirmed that the suspect on the run was his son, stating that they had minimal contact and he was a convicted felon who “resorted to years of criminal activity.”
“He now needs to be found and held accountable for his actions today. I hope that anyone who sees him or has information about him will contact law enforcement immediately,” Drake said.
According to City of La Vergne spokeswoman Anne Smith, roughly a dozen law enforcement agencies are involved in the manhunt for Drake Jr.
Following the shooting, La Vergne police issued a shelter-in-place order for municipal residents.
The shelter order was eventually rescinded while the hunt for Drake continued.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that a statewide alert had been issued for Drake Jr., who is wanted on two counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The bureau identified Drake Jr. as 5 ’11,” weighs 195 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes and said he was last seen in La Vergne in the area of Stones River Road near Lake Forest Drive, wearing a black t-shirt with a hockey mask graphic.
They also stated that Drake Jr. is armed and dangerous, and they advised the public to be on the lookout and to contact police immediately if they encounter anyone who matches his description.
Smith reported that Boleyjack has been released from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, while Kern was kept overnight for observation and is in stable condition.
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