Family speaks out after LSU med student shot in random Green Hills attack

By Daniel Smithson

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    NASHVILLE, Tennesee (WSMV) — A family is speaking out for the first time after a 26-year-old woman was violently attacked in Green Hills Monday night.

The woman, a Harpeth Hall graduate and Louisiana State University medical student, was attacked randomly by two unidentified suspects at the corner of Trimble Road and Esteswood Drive, according to police.

Two males got out of a dark sedan, described as a Dodge Avenger with the passenger rear window covered, and approached the woman. She fought back, police said, and was shot several times in the arms, legs, and hands as the suspects ran back to their car and drove off.

Her father described Monday as a “typical night” before the shooting. He said his daughter went for a walk around the block or to nearby Harpeth Hall when she was attacked.

The family said their daughter had just finished up a rotation at the University of Vermont Medical School and flew back home to Nashville for a few days before returning to LSU’s medical school. She will have to undergo extensive physical therapy, according to her family.

“To think something like this would happen in Nashville a few blocks from her home doesn’t make sense,” her father said. “She probably just felt safe like we all do in our neighborhood.”

The family said they have lived in the Green Hills neighborhood for 25 years.

Police released the following statement on behalf of the family:

“We’d like to thank our friends, family, neighbors and the entire Nashville community for the outpouring of support after the brutal attack and shooting of our daughter in her own neighborhood. The generosity and caring of the Nashville community is something special to behold. We also want to thank the Metro Nashville Police Department, the emergency first responders and the medical team at Vanderbilt Hospital without whose heroic efforts our daughter may not have survived.

We are deeply saddened and angered by this senseless attack on our daughter and our community. Our daughter is an intelligent, caring and thoughtful young woman. She has dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was very young and is currently in her last few months of medical school at LSU before graduating and starting her residency in pediatrics. She is an honor roll graduate of The Harpeth Hall School, a cum laude graduate from Fordham University in New York, and is looking forward to a medical career helping children where she plans to specialize in pediatric infectious disease.

While our daughter’s injuries will take time to heal, this vicious attack will not stop her. Many of you have seen the video of her attack which sickens us, but you see her fighting spirt, and she will go on to share her love of medicine and love of helping children with the world. We sincerely hope her attackers are caught and brought to justice, and we again thank everyone for their support.”

A $50,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the two men who attacked and shot the woman.

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