Tennessee teen delivering pizza shot at 7 times after pulling into wrong driveway
A Tennessee teenage pizza delivery driver was shot at multiple times this week after pulling into the wrong driveway.
The incident occurred Monday night in Ashland City, about 20 miles northwest of Nashville, when Kevin Wheeler, 18, parked his truck to delivery a Domino’s order, local Fox affiliate WZTV reported Thursday. After realizing he was next door at the wrong address, he left his truck and walked the pizza to the correct house.
When Wheeler returned to his vehicle, homeowner Ryan Babcock allegedly shot at him and his truck a total of seven times.
“The gunshot that hit my window, driver’s side, if it went a couple inches down it probably would have hit me in the head and probably won’t be here right now,” Wheeler told WZTV.
He added that he panicked because it happened so suddenly.
“I thought he probably saw me in my uniform … but I guess not,” Wheeler, a high school student, told the station. “I understand protecting, but I mean, [Babcock] didn’t give me no warning … Just open fired on me … that’s why I don’t agree with it.”
According to a police report obtained by USA Today, Babcock told police he saw someone in the driveway and thought they were trying to break into his truck, so he shot his handgun seven times in attempt to “disable” the vehicle.
Wheeler’s truck was hit three times in the process, police said.
Investigators also reviewed Babcock’s Ring camera footage of the shooting before he was arrested.
Babcock, 32, was charged with aggravated assault but could face more serious charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 12.
The close call comes two months after New York man Kevin Monahan was sentenced to more than 25 years in prison for the murder of Kaylin Gillis .The 20-year-old woman was a passenger in a car that was using Monahan’s driveway to turn around on a rural road when Monahan opened fire on the vehicle.
