A tragic and seemingly preventable tragedy took the life of an 18-year-old Nashville, Tennessee, college freshman this week—after she was struck by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a man with a long criminal history who was released from custody earlier this year after being declared mentally unfit to stand trial in another shooting incident.
Belmont University freshman Jillian Ludwig, originally from Belmar, New Jersey, was struck in the head by a stray bullet the suspect was firing at a passing car while she was taking a walk at a park near the campus on Tuesday, November 7.
She immediately collapsed and was not discovered until an hour later, when she was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in “extremely critical condition” before she succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, November 9, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
Shaquille Taylor, 29, was arrested late Tuesday and charged with aggravated assault and evidence tampering in connection with the shooting. A confidential informant, video evidence, and Taylor’s alleged confession linked him to the tragic incident.
In announcing Ludwig had passed away, MNPD said in a statement they are in discussion with the local District Attorney concerning “modified charges” against Taylor.
Long Criminal History Raises Questions
Taylor had a history of criminal charges, and an arrest warrant was even issued for him just days prior to the shooting for failing to appear in court on a felony auto theft charge from September, of which he was released on a $20,000 bond, MNPD said.
In 2022, he was released from custody again after being declared incompetent to stand trial for a shooting in a 2021 incident in which he was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon after he and another man were accused of shooting at a female driver while her two children were in the back seat.
At least two rounds struck the vehicle then, court records show, and he was released after court-appointed doctors testified that he was “incompetent to stand trial,” according to local media.
The case was then dismissed by Nashville Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton back in May, and he was released after those same doctors also said he did not appear to be a threat to himself or the public.
The court order releasing Taylor explained he had developed pneumonia at birth, which led to a brain infection that has led him only to a kindergarten level of function to this day.
Broken System DA Says
According to Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk, Taylor could not be involuntarily committed in Tennessee after he was declared unfit to stand trial and no other option existed than to dismiss the case.“On April 13, 2023, the Nashville District Attorney’s Office prosecuted Shaquille Taylor for Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon,” Funk said in a statement. “At a competency hearing on that date, three court-appointed doctors unanimously testified that Mr. Taylor was incompetent to stand trial. State and Federal law prohibit prosecution of persons found to be incompetent, so therefore Judge Angelita Dalton was mandated to dismiss the case.”
Funk said Because the doctors did not find Mr. Taylor met the standards for involuntary commitment, he was released from custody on May 19, 2023.
“Under Tennessee law, for a person to be involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, at least two doctors must have executed certificates that the person is suffering from a severe mental illness or developmental disability that causes the person to be a substantial risk of serious harm to himself or others,” he added. “The doctors must also find that there are no other less restrictive measures than commitment.”
Funk went on to call the standard “nearly impossible” and an impact on public safety.
“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. I will continue to work with the Legislature on these serious mental health issues.”
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said there needs to be more done to address mentally ill people in Nashville and Tennessee. He said there need to be more beds “for individuals experiencing mental health crises and a renewed conversation about how we limit access to firearms for individuals we know are a threat to the community.”
After the young woman’s death was announced, O’Connell added a call for a renewed conversation about limiting gun access for people known to be a threat to the community.
“Today, I recommitted to our participation in Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and I look forward to working with both local and state leaders to make progress on this issue,” O'Connell said. “But we know that this risk will recur unless we act to close holes in our criminal legal process regarding both urgent mental health needs and firearms access.”
