Police said the man tried to fire a pistol at the courthouse entrance before producing a knife and being shot by security.
NASHVILLE, TN — A security officer fatally shot an armed man Thursday morning after authorities said he entered a federal courthouse in downtown Nashville, tried unsuccessfully to fire a pistol and then pulled out a knife.
The confrontation happened at the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building at 719 Church Street. Metro Nashville police said the man, described as being in his 40s, did not make it beyond the building’s security checkpoint. Authorities had not publicly identified him as of Thursday afternoon or said why he went to the courthouse armed.
Police said the man entered the building with a pistol and attempted to fire the weapon, but it did not discharge. He then produced a knife, according to authorities. A contracted courthouse security officer opened fire, striking the man. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died.
No other injuries were immediately reported. Police officers, emergency crews and other law enforcement personnel converged on the courthouse shortly after the incident, which was reported at about 9:30 a.m. Authorities established a perimeter around the downtown building while investigators began examining what happened.
The man was from outside Tennessee but had ties to Nashville, police said. Officials did not immediately explain those ties. Investigators searched his vehicle with the help of police dogs and said they found nothing considered threatening. Authorities also had not announced a possible motive or explained whether the man had business scheduled at the courthouse.
The courthouse houses federal courtrooms as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office and offices connected to Tennessee’s U.S. senators. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob McGuire said security problems can occur at the building but described Thursday’s confrontation as an unusually serious event for the courthouse.
The incident also disrupted activity elsewhere in downtown Nashville. The nearby Nashville Public Library’s Main Library was evacuated as police responded and secured the area. Officers placed crime scene tape around portions of the courthouse while investigators interviewed security personnel and worked to establish the sequence of events.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was expected to lead the investigation into the fatal shooting, authorities said. The review is expected to examine the actions of the armed man and the security officer who fired at him, along with available surveillance footage and other evidence from the courthouse entrance.
Authorities had not released the man’s identity, a possible motive or additional information about his connection to Nashville by Thursday afternoon. The investigation remained active as officials worked to determine why he entered the federal building armed and what occurred immediately before the shooting.
Author note: Last updated October 8, 2026.