Family of North Nashville man shot while sitting on motorcycle still asks ‘Why?’

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Of all the 2020 homicides in North Nashville, roughly 40% of the cases remain unsolved. One of the families still searching for answers is that of 33-year-old Anthony Rucker who was shot and killed on March 4, 2020. 

Reverend Bruce Maxwell of Lake Providence Missionary Baptist Church not only delivered Rucker’s eulogy, but is also a distant cousin of Rucker.  

“Just a beautiful personality where he always tried to be that person that he should’ve been,” Rev. Maxwell said.  

The day after the devastating tornado outbreak, police said Rucker was sitting on a motorcycle talking to several people in the 1800 block of Dr. D.B. Todd Junior Boulevard. Around 6:30 that evening, witnesses said a gunman approached them and then shot towards them from around 25 yards. Rucker was hit as he tried to dodge the bullets and died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 

 “It was very devastating to hear that he had been killed that way. Very devastating,” said Rev. Maxwell.

Rev. Maxwell said Rucker leaves behind his mother, grandmother and several other relatives, in addition to many friends.  

“As far as the family is concerned, being that it’s unsolved, we don’t know why,” Rev. Maxwell said. “And that’s the biggest thing, I think that everybody is searching for is a reason why this may have happened.” 

The gunman reportedly took off down an alley-way towards 16^th Avenue North but has never been caught. Police said a motive has never been identified, and it’s unclear whether Rucker was the intended target.  

In the meantime, Rev. Maxwell prays no one will try to take matters into their own hands; A practice he said must stop to get North Nashville’s killings under control. 

“To not choose to retaliate in a violent manner but let the law take its course and take comfort in knowing that the person who did commit this crime that they should be brought to justice along the line,” Rev. Maxwell said.  

A spokeswoman for Metro police said detectives are still investigating strong leads in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-74-CRIME. 

News 2 is digging deeper into Tennessee’s most notorious unsolved cases. Click to read more.