NASHVILLE, TN – A young man was tragically shot and killed in a drive-by attack while riding in an Uber on Interstate 65 this past Saturday. The victim, identified as 26-year-old Stephen Rouse III, died of his injuries at TriStar Skyline Medical Center, according to Metro Nashville Police.
The incident unfolded when authorities received a report of a shooting victim at an area hospital around 3:11 p.m. Both the injured Rouse and the Uber driver were present at the scene, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
An Uber was called by Rouse shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday to pick him up at Citi Trends (a clothing store on Clarksville Pike), police said in a news release. The driver was supposed to drive him roughly 11 miles to Madison.
The Uber driver said he noticed a white Nissan Maxima with the headlights on parked outside the store. According to the driver, the car followed them as they traveled down Rosa Parks Boulevard toward the interstate. The Maxima closely trailed the rideshare vehicle until reaching the I-65/24 split, where the driver of the Nissan opened fire, fatally shooting Rouse in the backseat. Despite the violence, the Uber driver continued onto I-65 while the assailants in the Maxima fled onto I-24 West. His Uber driver took him to Skyline Medical Center, where he died.
In response to the incident, the Metro Nashville Police Department temporarily closed the interstate on Saturday in an effort to locate the exact spot of the shooting. Meanwhile, authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information or leads regarding the Nissan Maxima or details about the attack.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on identifying and apprehending the individuals responsible for this senseless act of violence.