In a specific call on Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Leahy was joined by all-star panelist, Norm Partin on the show when the men took a call from a Hendersonville resident named Chris who also owns a condo in Downtown Nashville.
During the segment, Chris described how he was attacked three weeks ago downtown while walking. Although he was able to chase the man down for four blocks, the police were unable to apprehend him. After being shunned by a councilman where he was not registered to vote, he reached out to Mayor Cooper who admitted in conversation that the city does not have video surveillance.
Leahy: We want to go now to Chris from Hendersonville. Good morning Chris. You want to weigh in on the mayoral experience and also on the community oversight board?
Chris: Well yeah. I’ve not called your show before but I have a recent incident that happened to me, it will be three weeks ago on Sunday. We own a condo downtown like many of us do that live in the suburbs. And we love to go downtown for dinner and stuff. Three weeks ago Sunday at 6:30 pm I was just walking to meet friends at Sea Salt. And we were literally 20 feet from Broadway walking down 3rd. And I was attacked from behind…
Leahy: What! You were attacked?
Chris: Attacked. A gentleman came right up from behind me and punched me in the back of the head. Just for a split second because I fell to the ground and hit my wife and everything and when I got up and looked behind me and saw the man that did this. A lady gave me my glasses and I just lost it.
Leahy: Was he trying to steal money from you or was he just a homeless crazy person?
Chris: You know I chased him for four blocks and then the police caught up with me. Because I was calling 911 at the same time. So I chased him for four blocks, and let the police handle it from there. They lost him. They never were able to locate this man.
I’m grateful it wasn’t worse. It could have been a knife, it could have been something, or they could have attacked my wife without me knowing. But what I was really upset about was my wife put this incident on our Facebook site at our condo and four similar incidences happened to owners there.
And that really bothered me so much that I decided to call the councilman, Mr. O’Connell I think is his name. But after my first email he was engaged and now he’s found out that I’m not an actual registered voter for Nashville because I don’t live there full time, he’s lost interest. So I did meet with the mayor.
Leahy: You met with the mayor about this?
Chris: I did. I met with the mayor. And of course, the police have been great. I’m not against the police 100%. I support them.
Leahy and Partin: Yes.
Chris: What I found out was that even though I chased this gentleman for four blocks down 3rd. Through Schermerhorn. Up to 4th to the barbeque place, that there’s no video of me. And that really concerned me and I brought that up with the mayor. And he said that we don’t have much video in downtown.
Leahy: Hmmm.
Chris: And with that, I was like, ‘What!”
Leahy: Did you ever figure out what this guy’s motive was? Does he just not like you? Was he trying to steal money?
Chris: No. No. It wasn’t a robbery at all. There were too many people around when he punched me.
Leahy: What was the motive?
Chris: I have no idea. I think it could have been gang-related. You now that knock out stuff.
Leahy: Oh, ok. OK.
Chris: I have no idea, but the fact of the matter is that we have a very big homeless problem around that area.
Leahy: Was he homeless you think or gang?
Chris: I don’t think so. He had a nice coat and a nice backpack.
Leahy: How old was this person?
Chris: He looked to be about 30.
Leahy: Really!
Partin: I was suspecting teens.
Chris: Yeah.
Partin: Hey, first of all, that’s a horrible thing to happen.
Chris: Yes.
Partin: And you are lucky that it wasn’t worse. So thankfully you can fall back on that. One of the problems in Nashville is one of the things you said is the activation of people and council people when they find out you’re not a voter. That’s a negative effect on you and wrong.
Leahy: But the mayor met with you and I think that speaks well for the mayor.
Chris: Yeah, well I went to his coffee but I called the mayor and that troubled me. And I told him face to face, ‘Look, I called the office. and the office said look this is a police thing. We can’t have anything to do with it. And I thought well wait a minute. We have a new leader…
Partin: Did you find the mayor engaging?
Chris: Yes. I did. I really liked him and enjoyed talking with him.
Leahy: And Chris on that note. We’re about to end the day. Keep listening and call us again. And look, if something happens to you or anybody you know in downtown Nashville let us know.
Listen to the full third hour:
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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 am to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Yep. Nashville has become the “It Place”. The place to avoid.