Suspect in shooting near UTM appears in court; police interview others

WEAKLEY COUNTY, Tenn. — The 21-year-old man accused of shooting into a crowd of people, sparking a lockdown Tuesday at the University of Tennessee at Martin, appeared Wednesday morning in court to be formally charged.

Tommy Fuller appeared before Weakley County General Sessions Judge Tommy Moore for his arraignment.

Investigators said Fuller fired a weapon in the middle of a fight near the UTM campus.

“There is something that you need to understand, that this is a very serious case,” Judge Moore said.

University officials said it started with a fight between family members in the University Center.

“The only thing we know is that it came out of some type of family situation. It actually spilled into some private apartments,” UTM Communications Director Bud Grimes said.

Investigators say after the fight broke up, they moved into the parking lot of apartments on Hannings Lane, just across the street from campus and a gun shot was reported around 10 minutes later.

“According to Mr. Fuller, they got into another altercation and one of the occupants of that Mazda vehicle produced a handgun,” Martin Police Department Capt. Phillip Fuqua said.

Capt. Fuqua said that’s when Fuller produced and fired his weapon. Police have been interviewing one of the other people involved in the fight, and Fuqua said they are still trying to find and interview the others involved. He says there could be more charges.

“It was an apartment complex. It was a city street, and any time you have a firearm discharge, anyone in the vicinity is in danger, but the intent was just among the small group,” Capt. Fuqua said.

Fuller’s bond was set at $15,000. He is charged with felony reckless endangerment, theft and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Grimes says that acting within the university’s current code of conduct, the individual in question is no longer a UTM student.