Tennessee officials revealed on Tuesday that, in a tragic turn of events, the estranged son of Nashville’s police chief had been found dead after a four-day manhunt. John Drake Jr., 38, was wanted in relation to a shooting incident that happened outside a Dollar General store in La Vergne, which is about 20 miles southeast of Nashville, last Saturday and resulted in injuries to two officers, Ashely Boleyjack and Gregory Kern.
A $2,500 reward had been offered for any information leading to his location because he was thought to be armed and dangerous. Search teams from law enforcement did not waste any time trying to find him.
The search came to an end on Tuesday night when police were called to a location in Nashville’s 1400 block of 15th Avenue South. They were searching when they heard a “muffled gunshot” coming from one of the outbuildings. John Drake Jr. was discovered dead after what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound after they had looked into the situation. In an official statement, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation verified this development.
To shed light on this unfortunate incident, the TBI’s special agents will conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Drake’s death and perform a full autopsy.
Notably, John Drake Jr. is the Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake’s son. Chief Drake described his relationship with his son as “estranged” in a statement he issued last Saturday, expressing his shock and deep sadness over the situation. He revealed that he had maintained very minimal contact with his estranged son over the years, stating, “I am shocked and deeply saddened to learn that my estranged son, with whom I have had very minimal contact over many years, is the suspect in this afternoon’s shooting of the two La Vergne police officers.”
Chief Drake went on to reveal that his son had “resorted to years of criminal activity” and was a “convicted felon” who had been estranged from his life for quite some time.
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The unfortunate shooting incident occurred last Saturday when the two officers were investigating a stolen vehicle. As they engaged with the suspect, a struggle ensued during which John Drake Jr. brandished a firearm and opened fire. La Vergne Police Chief Christopher Moews, speaking on the incident, stated that one officer was struck in the rear left shoulder, while the second officer suffered wounds to their right groin and right forearm. Both officers were reported to be in stable condition in the preceding week.
Chief Moews, in a statement on Tuesday night, said, “The La Vergne community and our heroic officers can rest easy tonight knowing that the manhunt for John Drake Jr. is over.” He also extended his prayers to Chief Drake and his family during this difficult time.
This article was originally published on NBCNEWS.COM
