The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has identified the man fatally shot after pulling a gun at the Fred D. Thompson federal courthouse in Nashville on Thursday as Jack Henson II, who the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee told The Tennessee Star was a North Carolina man with no known motive.
TBI released Henson’s name on Thursday night, stating that the 42-year-old man walked into the courthouse while brandishing a firearm and knife. The investigators wrote that “the situation escalated, resulting in a federal security officer discharging his service weapon and striking Henson.”
Henson was pronounced dead at an area hospital, and there were no injuries to law enforcement. TBI said it was continuing to investigate the motive.
In a statement to The Star, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob McGuire confirmed Henson was an American citizen from North Carolina.
McGuire also confirmed that Henson’s motives are still under investigation, but said investigators “do not have any information at present that he was targeting any specific official, employee, agency, or proceeding.”
He also said Henson did not appear to have any federal litigation pending at the courthouse, or in the Middle District of Tennessee, but said the information was pending verification.
The federal prosecutor also told The Star that the investigation is led by TBI, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the FBI.
A spokesman for Metro Nashville Police Department also confirmed to The Star that TBI is handling the investigation.
In its Thursday press release, TBI explained that it does not identify officers involved in shootings, and instead refers this information to respective departments. It was reported on Thursday that the person who shot Henson is a security officer who works with the Marshals, which is the primary agency responsible for security at federal courthouses.
Last year, a man was arrested after allegedly sending online threats to bomb the courthouse in Nashville.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
