On the evening of March 27, 2020, a young man named Kendall Ostine, aged 20, was walking near the intersection of Herman and Blank Streets in Nashville, Tennessee. The events that unfolded next were swift and brutal, suggesting a targeted attack. At approximately 6:15 p.m., the driver of a blue sedan reportedly fired a single shot from the vehicle, striking Ostine. The assailant then exited the car, approached Ostine who had fallen to the ground, and fired several more times.
After the volley of shots, the gunman returned to the sedan and fled the scene.
When police officers arrived, they discovered Ostine lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. He was immediately transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for emergency treatment, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The initial description of the shooter provided by witnesses was that of a Black man. The motive for the shooting was not immediately clear to investigators.
The investigation into Kendall Ostine's murder progressed with assistance from the community, which proved crucial in identifying a suspect. On May 20, 2020, William D. Britton, 21 years old at the time, surrendered to the police in downtown Nashville. He was subsequently charged with the murder of Kendall Ostine.
William Darnell Britton faced trial for the killing. The Davidson County Grand Jury indicted him on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder. During the trial, evidence presented included video surveillance from nearby apartment complexes that captured the intersection where the shooting occurred. Ultimately, the jury convicted Britton of the lesser included offense of second-degree murder. For his role in the death of Kendall Ostine, the court sentenced him to eighteen years in the Tennessee Department of Correction.
