A Tennessee college student is fighting for her life after she was shot in the head by an accused career criminal while walking near her school in Nashville. She lay for an hour before she was discovered by a bystander.
Unfortunate Event
Belmont University freshman Jillian Ludwig, 18, was reportedly strolling through Edgehill Community Memorial Gardens Park at 2:30 PM local time on Tuesday, November 7, when she was shot. She collapsed instantly, and at about 3:30 PM, a passerby saw her lying on the ground and called the police.
According to the New York Post, 29-year-old Shaquille Taylor is accused of opening fire on a vehicle, with a bullet striking Ludwig in the back of the head as she walked on the track.
Police said they tracked down and arrested Taylor with the help of surveillance footage and eyewitnesses.
The alleged shooter was previously arrested for other crimes but was recently freed from detention because he lacked the mental capacity to stand trial.
On Wednesday, November 8, Taylor was found and detained, charging him with assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence. He was suspected of handing the pistol to another individual after the incident, as per a report by The Tennessean, citing court documents. His girlfriend allegedly informed detectives that he had revealed to her that he was engaged in a shooting.
Fox 17 reported that on Wednesday, students and professors from Belmont came together to pray on campus for Ludwig.
Judicial Loophole
Multiple criminal charges have been filed against Taylor in the past.
According to CBS News, Taylor and another guy were charged with three counts of assault in 2021 for shooting a female driver with her two children in the back seat. After court-appointed physicians testified that Taylor was unable to stand trial, a Nashville judge dropped the charges and freed him earlier this year. State and federal laws prohibit prosecuting mentally unfit defendants.
A May 19 court ruling said that Taylor suffered pneumonia at birth, which caused a brain illness, and that he still functions at a kindergarten level. Taylor did not fulfill involuntary commitment conditions, thus, the court "reached the limit of its authority."
Police said Taylor was nabbed in a grocery store parking lot four months later while driving a pickup car that was carjacked. He was freed on $20,000 bail for felony car theft.
Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk released a statement describing Tennessee's legislation outlining the requirements for involuntary commitment as a "nearly impossible standard."
Per state law, a minimum of two medical professionals must attest that the patient suffers from a mental illness or developmental impairment so severe that he or she poses a significant danger of serious damage to herself or others. In addition, the physicians must determine that no less severe treatments are available.
Funk said in a statement, "The law must be altered to accurately balance individual needs with public safety. At the same time, Tennessee must provide more beds and staffing resources to handle dangerous individuals."
