Police chief’s son shoots 2 officers, Tennessee cops say

The son of a Tennessee police chief is accused of shooting two officers at a Dollar General store, according to police.

John C. Drake, Jr., 38, is on the run after he was accused of wounding officers in La Vergne, a suburb of Nashville roughly 20 miles southeast of the city’s downtown, the La Vergne Police Department said in a news release.

Police say the officers were investigating a case of a stolen vehicle, which they located outside a Dollar General at about 2:20 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. They confronted Drake, the situation turned physical and he pulled out a gun and shot both officers, then left the scene, police said.

One officer was shot in the left shoulder and the other was struck in the right groin and forearm, according to police.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide alert for Drake, who is wanted on two charges of attempted murder.

Drake is the son of Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake, who has spoken out condemning his son’s actions and calling for his capture.

“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,” Drake said in a statement.

“Despite my efforts and guidance in the early and teenage years, my son, John Drake Jr., now 38-years-old, resorted to years of criminal activity and is a convicted felon. He has not been a part of my life for quite some time,” Drake added. “He now needs to be found and held accountable for his actions today. I hope that anyone who sees him or has information about him will contact law enforcement immediately.”

The La Vergne officers were taken to a hospital in stable condition, police said.

Drake Jr. is described as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 195 pounds, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. He has black hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black shirt with a hockey mask on it.