John Franklin Goosie, a 41-year-old male, tragically lost his life on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Knoxville, Tennessee. His death occurred in the parking lot of The Pint House, a bar on Merchant Drive, where he was a patron. That evening, an altercation began when two men, later identified as 40-year-old Kevin Matthews and 36-year-old Steven Davis, reportedly started assaulting the bar's security guard, 28-year-old Zachery Herrera, near the front entrance.
Witnessing the assault, Goosie
attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation. During the ensuing struggle, Matthews is said to have pulled out a firearm and fired multiple shots. Both John Goosie and Zachery Herrera were struck by the gunfire and succumbed to their injuries. A woman was also injured during the incident but was expected to recover. The entire event was captured on the business's surveillance footage, which aided police in identifying the suspects.
Following the shooting, Steven Davis was taken into custody by law enforcement and faced charges of aggravated assault and a parole violation. Kevin Matthews, the alleged shooter, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and fled the state. A manhunt for Matthews ended days later in Florida when he died by suicide after being surrounded by law enforcement.
In the wake of the tragedy, John Goosie's widow, Ruby Goosie, filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against The Pint House and its security providers. The lawsuit alleges that the establishment failed to provide adequate security measures to prevent such a violent act from occurring. A Knox County grand jury was set to consider whether Steven Davis should stand trial for his involvement in the incident.
