NASHVILLE – A Tennessee woman was critically injured after being shot by Metro Nashville police.
Officers responded just after 5 p.m. Friday to a home in the 2800 block of Greer Road where a reportedly suicidal woman, Melissa Wooden, 33, had made statements that she wanted police to shoot her.
Madison Precinct Officers Brandon Lopez, Ben Williams, and Thomas Denenea arrived at the location and were awaiting backup when they encountered Wooden in the front lawn near the road. She was armed with a pick axe and baseball bat. Efforts at dialogue with Wooden were unsuccessful. Officer Williams deployed his Taser which appeared to have no impact. Wooden then charged the officers with the pick axe and baseball bat. Officer Lopez fired on her in defense of himself and the other two officers.
Wooden was transported to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she is in critical/stable condition.
Officers Lopez and Denenea joined the department in August 2019. Officer Williams is a four-year veteran. They have been placed on routine administrative assignment while the TBI leads the investigation into this police-involved shooting.
