In a tragic turn of events on April 15, 2023, 34-year-old Marques Douglas, a Black/African American male, was fatally shot in Nashville, Tennessee. The incident unfolded at the Overlook Ridge Apartments in the Bordeaux neighborhood, where a domestic dispute escalated to a fatal conclusion.
The circumstances leading to Douglas's death began when he went to the apartment of his acquaintance, 28-year-old Gerrika Abernathy, also known as Gerrika Simmons.
Douglas had been staying at her residence intermittently and had gone there that day to retrieve his belongings. An argument ensued between the two, during which Abernathy alleged that Douglas physically assaulted her.
Following the altercation, Douglas reportedly entered a bedroom and closed the door. It was at this point that Abernathy discharged a firearm. She fired a single shot through the closed bedroom door, striking Douglas in the head. Abernathy herself placed the 911 call at 12:17 p.m., and upon their arrival, North Precinct officers discovered Douglas with a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
During the subsequent investigation by Homicide Unit detectives, Abernathy claimed that she did not intend to kill Douglas, but only meant to frighten him. However, investigators determined that her actions did not constitute self-defense. They noted that Douglas was behind a closed door and therefore did not pose an immediate threat. Furthermore, Abernathy had a clear path to exit the apartment and remove herself from the situation. Detectives also reported that they did not observe any visible injuries on Abernathy to support her claim of being punched. Based on these findings, Gerrika Abernathy was arrested and charged with criminal homicide for the death of Marques Douglas.
