Hermitage Gangster Pleads Guilty After Shooting At Metro Police

NASHVILLE, TN -- A 19-year-old Hermitage gang member pleaded guilty to federal obstruction of justice and gun charges Tuesday in connection with an incident in March during which he fired shots at two Metro Nashville Police officers.

On March 27, Antonio Bender fired at officers Justin Chisholm and Jonathon Sheppard, who were investigating a shots-fired complaint in the J.C. Napier public housing complex. Though Chisholm and Sheppard were unable to locate a victim, they were told that the two shooters had fled into a nearby alley and they continued to patrol. Just before midnight, the pair heard more gunfire and rounded a corner.

According to a MNPD release, they saw two men, one of whom raised a laser-sighted pistol and fired. Because of the risk to bystanders, the officers did not return fire. Chisholm and Sheppard chased the armed man - later determined to be Bender - and arrested him on University Court and recovered two hand guns, according to investigators.

Bender told detectives his mistook the officers for a man with whom he had a dispute.

A federal grand jury indicted Bender in May on charges of being an unlawful drug user in possession of two firearms; possession of a stolen firearm; and obstruction of justice by deleting relevant social media posts with intent to impede a federal investigation. He pleaded guilty to all charges and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger on March 26, 2018.

"These officers were doing their duty to investigate violent crime which has plagued this community when they were shot at by this defendant. They displayed appropriate restraint in not returning fire due to their training and their awareness of the innocent bystanders in the area. In keeping with our zero-tolerance policy regarding violence against law enforcement officers, we will seek an appropriately severe sentence against this illegally armed violent gang member," U.S. Attorney Don Cochran said.

Bender is a Rollin’ 60s Crips gang member and was released from juvenile custody in October 2016. According to the statement of facts, Bender is an unlawful drug user and he had taken both pistols from an unknown man selling firearms a few weeks earlier. He was involved in a shooting earlier in the day on March 27, 2017, in which he shot a person who had sold one of his associates some fake cocaine. Multiple other shots struck and heavily damaged an occupied car nearby.

Bender faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of the firearms charges, and a maximum of 20 years in prison for obstruction of justice.

Photo by Metro Nashville Police