Stolen Car Connected To Target Shooting, 2 Robberies Found In Goodlettsville

GOODLETTSVILLE, TN — A car stolen from a Vanderbilt football player following Monday night's shooting in a Target parking lot was found early Wednesday at a Goodlettsville hotel. Investigators have also connected the car to two Tuesday convenience store robberies.

The red Toyota Corolla stolen from Commodore freshman defensive back Tae Daley was discovered at the America's Best Value Inn on Rivergate Parkway at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Detectives then determined it was the same vehicle used as the getaway car in Tuesday's stick-ups at convenience stores in East Nashville and Joelton. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

Daley's car was stolen after he and fellow football player, redshirt freshman Frank Coppet were injured in a shooting in the parking lot of the White Bridge Road Target as part of what police called an "ill-conceived" scheme to recover the stolen cell phone of a third Commodore, sophomore wide receiver Donoven Tennyson.

Tennyson had listed his phone for sale online and met with what he thought was a prospective buyer in the parking lot of the West End Chili’s at 5 p.m. Monday. He told police his phone was stolen during the meeting.
Later that night, Tennyson said his phone had been offered for sale by the thief on the same site, so he created a fake account, requested to purchase the phone, arranging to meet the seller in the parking lot of the White Bridge Target.

Tennyson, Daley and Coppet rode to the Target in Daley's Toyota Corolla and they brought a pellet pistol with them, as one told investigators, “to help get the phone back.” They pulled up next to the seller’s gray Buick sedan. Coppet got out with the pellet pistol in his hand, but he was met by one of the men in the Buick, who shot at them with an actual pistol, while another man in the Buick fired a shotgun. Daley suffered a non-critical gunshot wound to his leg. Coppet received non-critical birdshot wounds to his arms. After the shots, the gunmen fled, one in the Buick, and one in Daley’s Corolla.

Police believe the Corolla was then used as the getaway car in robberies of the Z Mart on Gallatin Avenue in East Nashville and the Tfuel on Eatons Creek Road in Joelton Tuesday morning.

The search for the suspects continues.

Image via Shutterstock