At least eight cases of homicide and more than five nonfatal shooting and stabbing have occurred in the past two weeks, The Tennessean and Metro Nashville Police reported.
Incidents include an armed robbery and double murder at Bellacino's Pizzeria on White Bridge Road, a double homicide at a car wash on Charlotte Pike, and a nonfatal shooting outside a nightclub downtown near clubs reportedly frequented by Vanderbilt students.
The recent spike in homicides is significant for a city of Nashville's size. And because two of the cases occurred in western Nashville, Vanderbilt University Police Department has been in communication with Metro forces.
"We always maintain a working relationship with Nashville Metro Police," said VUPD Lieutenant John Newman, who agreed the number of recent murders was noticeable.
Newman said while VUPD acknowledged concern in the Vanderbilt community about the increased security risks, none of the cases, all of which were unconnected, were related to the Vanderbilt community.
"In all of the cases, it appears the victims knew their killers,"
Newman said.
While in the past week there has been an unusually large number of homicides and violent crimes, VUPD and Metro maintain that these events were "random acts."
Some students feel this assertion alleviates worry.
"I don't think it shows a spike or a trend that (VUPD) should worry
about," said sophomore Dan Taylor.
Others think that VUPD should monitor the crime situation in Nashville more closely.
"I think they should be concerned and just keep a more watchful eye on the Vanderbilt community," said senior Jill Cooper. "(But) I feel pretty safe."
Freshman Alex Longstreth does not feel that people should expect the VUPD to act any differently now than before the string of murders.
"What could they possibly do?" he said. "Are they going to stop every person outside (campus) and ask for I.D.?"
Newman said a crime alert would be sent to the student body if the VUPD felt Vanderbilt students were in eminent danger, but Longstreth said nothing more than that should be expected.
"I don't know that anything more can be done than what we are doing now," Newman said.