Police: man shoots neighbor in racist altercation and threatens to kill detective

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CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) A man charged with attempted murder after shooting his neighbor in a racist altercation has also threatened to kill a Clarksville Police Detective, court records show.

Steven Andrew Russell, 61, was arrested on August 27 and charged with attempted murder, tampering with evidence and theft of property.

The incident

Police responded to a shooting in Summit Heights on August 26, according to court records obtained by Clarksville Now. While officers were on their way, a second call was received by 911, but this time from Russell, who reported that he had shot and killed his neighbor.

The neighbor was found with multiple gunshot wounds and transported to Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville with non-life threatening injuries.

Russell told officers his neighbor hit him with a stick and he was also taken to Tennova for treatment for a slight scrape on his face.

“Prolonged racial tension”

Investigators discovered that prior to the shooting there had been an altercation between Russell and his neighbor. “This altercation was the result of a prolonged racial tension initiated by Russell towards (his neighbor),” the court record read.

Russell, who is white, allegedly upset his neighbor, who is black according to CPD spokesman Scott Beaubien, to the point that the neighbor hit Russell with his cane. Russell then pulled out a .22 caliber revolver and fired at his neighbor, records show.

The neighbor was shot in the arm and retreated to his porch; Russell continued to fire until the weapon was empty, hitting him again, according to records.

Russell then left the scene. He told investigators he dropped the gun into a nearby storm sewer so it could not be used against him. Officers searched but could not find the weapon.

During the search, they found a 12-gauge shotgun which, when passed by the National Crime Information Center, was found to be stolen. Russell said the shotgun was his and that he had found it months before, records show.

He said he shot his neighbor because he feared for his life, was happy to shoot him and hoped his neighbor would die, according to records.

He also continued to use “racial names” for his neighbor, and when told his neighbor would survive, Russell told investigators he was going to “kill him again” and “shoot him in the eye” , according to records.

When Russell learned he would be charged with tampering with evidence, he became enraged, said he still had the gun and when he was released from prison he was going to kill the head detective.

Russell has a court hearing on September 10. A public defender has been appointed.

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