June 1, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hermitage Precinct Detective Donovan Coble remains in critical but stable condition recovering from a gunshot wound to his side/rib area as he pursued an armed auto burglary suspect this afternoon from a Donelson parking lot, over a fence and into a residential yard.
The suspect, identified as Delama Casimir, 37, who carried a Florida driver license with a Pompano Beach address, is believed to have been wounded by Detective Coble’s return fire as well as gunfire from SWAT Officer Tim Brewer about an hour later. Casimir died at 7:25 p.m. at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. today, Detective Coble and his colleagues from the Hermitage Precinct’s Community Field Intelligence Team responded to a call from The Parking Spot, an airport area parking lot for travelers, concerning an armed man who was breaking into cars. Detective Coble’s body camera footage shows officers encountering Casimir in a rear parking lot. He was ordered to stop, but instead ran through the lot and jumped over a wooden fence. Detective Coble also jumped over the fence, at that point with a Taser in his hand, and ordered Casimir to stop. During the chase, Detective Coble transitioned to his pistol just before Casimir pointed a .380 semi-automatic pistol over his shoulder in Coble’s direction and fired. Detective Coble, although seriously wounded, returned Casimir’s gunfire. Casimir appeared to go down into heavy brush. Detective Coble radioed that he had been shot and hurriedly went to the street. A fellow detective picked up Coble and rushed him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is expected to fully recover.
Hermitage Precinct officers, as well as SWAT officers, responded to the Donelson Pike/Shacklett Drive/Claridge Drive/Upshaw Drive area to search for the then unidentified gunman. At 3:35 p.m., SWAT Officer Tim Brewer, as shown on his body camera footage, was clearing a section of the heavy foliage when he game upon Casimir in the brush. Officer Brewer began shouting commands to Casimir and reported seeing the pistol. Brewer said he perceived a gunshot and fired on Casimir. SWAT officers rendered aid to him, and he was transported to the hospital and into surgery. He died tonight.
Detective Coble, 33, is a four-year MNPD veteran who just this week was named Officer of the Year by the Donelson-Hermitage Exchange Club.
Officer Brewer, 42, is a 16-year MNPD veteran.
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