Suspect arrested after South Nashville hotel shooting left victim with multiple gunshot wounds and broken femur

What police say happened

A 55-year-old man was arrested Thursday evening in connection with a shooting that left another man with multiple gunshot wounds in South Nashville, according to arrest documents and police statements released Friday.

Investigators say the incident began shortly before noon Thursday at the WoodSpring Suites on Metroplex Drive, near the airport. Police were alerted around 11:40 a.m. after a man who reported being shot called 911 and said he was driving himself toward TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center.

Officers located the victim not at the hospital but in the 500 block of Recovery Road. Police reported finding him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, including an injury to his left thigh that shattered his femur and another wound that passed through his left bicep. Nashville Fire Department personnel transported him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Police did not publicly release an update on his condition Friday.

Scene evidence and a witness account

After locating the victim, officers went to the hotel parking lot where they were told the shooting occurred and recovered two spent shell casings, according to the arrest affidavit.

A man who told officers he was with the victim at the time of the shooting identified John M. Denton as the shooter, the affidavit states. Investigators allege the encounter escalated from an argument to a physical altercation. Police say Denton then ran to a truck, retrieved a firearm, and fired at least two shots as the victim ran away.

Charges and bond

Denton was booked into custody on charges that include attempted homicide, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm with the intent to commit a felony. A bond amount of $270,000 was reported in booking information.

Criminal-history context and the next steps in court

Court records show a criminal history for Denton dating back decades, including multiple prior felony convictions. Police said those convictions include aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, attempted voluntary manslaughter, and aggravated burglary.

The case now moves through the criminal-court process, where prosecutors will have to establish probable cause for the charges and later prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt if the case proceeds to trial. Defense counsel will have the opportunity to challenge the witness account, the sequence of events described in the affidavit, and any forensic or surveillance evidence collected from the hotel area.

• Location: WoodSpring Suites, Metroplex Drive (South Nashville, near airport)
• Initial call: victim reported being shot and driving toward a hospital
• Victim located: 500 block of Recovery Road; transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Charges: attempted homicide and multiple firearms-related counts

The victim’s medical condition and any potential motive beyond the reported altercation were not publicly detailed in the initial court documents.