Nashville Rapper Starlito Surrenders In East Nashville Shooting

NASHVILLE, TN — Nashville rapper Starlito surrendered to police Thursda in connection with a shooting that injured a 36-year-old-man at a popular Five Points restaurant Tuesday night.

Late Wednesday, Metro Police issued warrants for aggravated assault and unlawful gun possession against the 32-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jermaine Eric Shute. Shute turned himself in Thursday morning. His mugshot is being withheld pending a line-up. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

James Fletcher, 36, was hit in the left leg during Tuesday's shooting at Batter’d & Fried in Five Points. Investigators said the restaurant's surveillance footage indicated Fletcher "had words with two other men," punching one of them, sparking a fight that continued off camera.

A witness said one of the two men with whom Fletcher was arguing put a gun into his waistband before the pair fled. Fletcher was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center but was not cooperative with detectives, according to a police news release.

Shute has a pending charge of harassment related to a July 11 incident. Robert Higgins, owner of Nashville nightspots Jazz and Jokes and WKND, told police that "sent him at least 10 threatening text messages and at least 5 threatening instant messages on Instagram."

Shute told Higgins he "owed him money" and that he was going "to kill him," according to the complaint. Higgins said that Shute said "Somebody is going to die tonight" and sent a picture of himself standing next to Higgins' car. Shute was released on a $1,000 and is due in court on that charge August 17.

On Sunday, Starlito was filmed getting into a fight with fellow Nashville rapper Young Buck after a basketball game at Stratford High School. Young Buck, whose real name is David Darnell Brown, appeared to be angered by a recent song from Starlito that insults him. In response, after the Stratford fight, Young Buck released his own song with allusions to Starlito.

Image via Wikimedia Commons user Logan Garrett, used under Creative Commons.