Pizza shop robbery suspect shot by Nashville police in stable condition
UPDATE: Witherspoon was found guilty on a lesser charge of robbery and sentenced to 8 years in prison on May 20, 2022.
A man wanted on felony charges in connection with a pizza shop robbery over the weekend remained hospitalized Friday a day after he was shot by a Metro Nashville police officer.
Lamon Witherspoon, 30, has been at Vanderbilt University Medical Center since Wednesday after Officer Wesley McClelland shot him in the head and hip in the parking lot of the Exxon gas station at Trinity Lane and Brick Church Pike.
On Friday police said Witherspoon was listed in stable condition and the shooting remained under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
He was initially transported to the hospital in critical condition by Nashville Fire Department personnel, according to fire spokesman Joseph Pleasant.
When Witherspoon is medically cleared for release, he'll be transported to the Metro jail and booked on outstanding aggravated robbery and aggravated assault charges with other potential charges to follow, Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said Thursday.
"The totality of this police shooting will be reviewed, as any would be," Aaron said.
McClelland has been placed on routine administrative assignment while the investigation proceeds.
Prior to the shooting, Metro detectives learned Witherspoon was traveling in a car that had been reported stolen by an acquaintance of his.
Shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday about a half-dozen detectives descended upon Witherspoon in the parking lot of the gas station and boxed the vehicle in to arrest him.
A man in the car with Witherspoon, police said, surrendered before the shooting. Aaron said Thursday that passenger was picked up by Witherspoon earlier in the day and is considered a witness in the case. Police have not released the man's identity.
The TBI reported Witherspoon rammed at least one police vehicle before the shooting. At the scene, the stolen car was sandwiched between two unmarked police vehicles that had boxed him in.
"He continued to attempt to maneuver the car to get away as officers were giving commands to put it in park and turn the engine off," Aaron said Thursday. "He was also told repeatedly that the officers were Metro police and that he was under arrest. A siren also was sounding as the vehicle jam maneuver was taking place."
At one point, officers broke out the windows of Witherspoon's car and demanded he surrender, Aaron said, and one officer climbed into the backseat of the car to encourage him to leave the vehicle.
That officer alerted the other detectives Witherspoon had a gun.
McClelland, on Witherspoon's passenger side, opened fire when Witherspoon turned towards him with the gun in his hand, fearing for his safety, Aaron said.
Detectives found a handgun after the shooting, Aaron said.
Medics rushed Witherspoon to a Nashville hospital for treatment. No one else was hurt.
At the time of the shooting, Witherspoon had been wanted on robbery and assault charges in connection with a Sunday night robbery at Nashville Pizza & Pasta on Dickerson Pike. The shooting occurred after officers used a tracker in a stolen car to locate Witherspoon, Aaron said.
He was identified as a suspect through tips from the public after a man stole a cash register from the restaurant containing $250. According to arrest affidavits, Witherspoon approached a delivery driver while keeping his hand behind his back as if he had a weapon.
What initially was thought to be a gun was later found to be a cell phone, police said.
Another man assisted in the robbery, but he has not yet been publicly identified by police.
Natalie Neysa Alund is based in Nashville at The Tennessean and covers breaking news across the south for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Robbery suspect shot by Nashville police Wednesday in stable condition
