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Opry Mills shooting suspect surrenders




Gaines

Gaines

A suspect accused of shooting and critically wounding a member of a rival group inside Opry Mills Mall on Sept. 30 surrendered Oct. 6 in Donelson.

Metro Nashville Hermitage precinct detectives ordered Juwan Gaines, 19, of Lebanon, held without bond in the Downtown Detention Center on three charges for the shooting in a hallway at Opry Mills Mall.

Gaines was charged with attempted first-degree murder, felony reckless endangerment and the use of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony. He surrendered at the Hermitage precinct and was with his family.

The victim was recently identified as Michael Pignone, 19. Police said he remained in critical, but stable condition at a local hospital. Hermitage precinct detectives, the juvenile crimes task force and gang unit were involved in the investigation that led to Gaines’ identification and charges.

According to police, Gaines opened fire at an apparent rival group and sent numerous mall shoppers to scramble for cover. It happened at 6:10 p.m. about 10 yards from the food court. One group involved had three people, and the other group had five. Police said the groups came toward each other from opposite directions, and Gaines, who was in the group of three, pulled a pistol and fired shots. Pignone was shot once in the chest and paramedics took him to a local hospital.

Police said the victim ducked for cover as others pulled guns. Gaines ran from the mall, according to police. Pignone was assisted by one of his group members who took him out to the parking lot where first responders found him.

Officers cleared and secured the mall. There were no reports of any other injuries. Police said they found two pistols in the parking lot near the mall’s movie theatre.

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