Nashville officer fatally shoots man with knife holding hostage, police say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Police in Nashville fatally shot a man accused of taking a housemate hostage at knifepoint after authorities said the suspect came toward them with the weapon.

An altercation late Monday led to a man holding another person hostage in a home, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. Metro Nashville Police entered the house and tried to talk to the suspect through a door, then rushed into the room when they heard screaming, the statement said.

Joshua Kersey, 30, came the toward officers with a large knife, the bureau said, and one officer shot and killed him. No officers were injured.

A statement from Metro Nashville Police identified Officer Cole Ranseen as the one who shot Kersey. The department said its officers attempted to negotiate with Kersey for about 40 minutes through the closed bedroom door until they heard a struggle inside. Ranseen breached the door with other officers and fired as Kersey struggled with the housemate, the department said.

Kersey’s sister had called for help after her brother took the keys to her vehicle while intoxicated, drove off and then returned and got into a heated argument with family members, including his mother, sister and four children, all of whom left the home before officers entered, police said. Authorities did not provide details on Kersey’s connection to the hostage.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Metro Nashville Police said investigations into the shooting are ongoing and that more information was expected to be released later Tuesday.

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