NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man was arrested on a first-degree murder indictment on Monday, more than a year after a shooting near an Interstate 65 entrance ramp that resulted in the death of a 24-year-old.
In a press release, the Metro Nashville Police Department announced the arrest of Kealin Hicks, 27. He is charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder for the shooting, which killed 24-year-old Diandre Starks, injured one person and put nearby drivers at risk.
According to the MNPD, around 1:50 a.m. on Aug. 27, 2023, Starks was driving a stolen Honda Pilot on Rosa L. Parks Boulevard near the I-65 entrance ramp when he was shot. The vehicle then crashed and caught fire. He was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he died the next day.
A Jeep Cherokee, which had two occupants, was also struck by the gunfire. The 23-year-old Jeep driver told officers he was heading toward the entrance ramp when he heard gunshots and ducked before crashing the vehicle. Neither of the occupants were injured, reports said.
Additionally, News 2 reported that a 23-year-old man from Georgia arrived at TriStar Centennial Medical Center with a non-critical gunshot wound from this incident.
Authorities said it appeared at least 40 rounds were fired from two or more guns.
On Dec. 30, the MNPD said Hicks was found driving a stolen Infiniti sedan. When officers attempted to stop him, he fled in the vehicle. Law enforcement deployed spike strips and stopped the car, at which point Hicks fled on foot for a short time before being apprehended. During a search of the vehicle, officers found two pistols, marijuana and multiple key fobs, according to reports.
In the press release, the MNPD stated that Hicks is detained on a $250,000 bond, though Davidson County Sheriff’s Office records show the bond set at $1,000,000.
The MNPD said the investigation remains ongoing as investigators work to identify others who may have been involved in the gunfire.
