NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A traffic stop in Nashville turned deadly when a 31-year-old woman opened fire on a police officer, triggering a shootout that left her dead and the officer seriously wounded.
Authorities identified the woman as Nika Holbert, who was driving a black Chevrolet Camaro registered to Demond Buchanan, a 42-year-old convicted felon wanted on multiple drug warrants. Police said the vehicle’s connection to Buchanan was what prompted the officer to initiate the stop. It remains unclear how Holbert and Buchanan were connected.
Officer Josh Baker approached the car and searched Holbert’s purse, discovering a bag with a powdery substance. When he attempted to place her in custody, Holbert resisted, shouting that she had done nothing wrong. She then jumped back into the driver’s seat, at which point Baker deployed his Taser in an effort to restrain her.
The body camera footage released by Metro Nashville Police shows Baker trying to pull Holbert out of the vehicle. Instead, she reached for a handgun. “Ma’am, put the gun down!” Baker shouted, just before she fired, striking him below his bulletproof vest.
Despite his injury, Baker returned fire. Holbert threw her weapon aside and sped away in the Camaro, only to crash at a nearby intersection. She was transported to a hospital but was later pronounced dead from a gunshot wound sustained during the exchange.
Officer Baker, a 14-year veteran of the force, suffered a serious injury but underwent surgery and is expected to survive.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake defended Baker’s actions, saying the officer had made multiple attempts to de-escalate the encounter. “He appeared to do everything he could, including using the Taser and trying not to use his firearm,” Drake said. The department released bodycam and dashcam footage shortly after the incident, citing transparency.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case and will provide its findings to the District Attorney General.
Holbert’s adoptive mother, Lisa Holbert-Gooch, said she knew her daughter was wrong to draw a weapon but was devastated by the outcome. “She was wrong for pulling a gun,” she admitted, “but I’m still disturbed by the way the officer shot her dead.”
The case has stirred debate in Nashville, underscoring how quickly routine traffic stops can escalate into violence and tragedy.
