Shooting between two cars leads to chaos along Brainerd Road

Three businesses were affected by the shooting; Windows and cars in parking lot shot in the crossfire; chaos led to a car wreck on Brainerd Road

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A chaotic scene late this afternoon along Brainerd Road near Greenway View.

Several shots fired between two cars, leading to a a car wreck and one person hospitalized.

That chaos led to three businesses being affected, with many workers and patrons hitting the pavement.

Brian Clay, a customer at nearby Rimtyme, explains: “I got out the car to come in, walking down the aisle way to the counter, sales counter, (a worker on duty) and his other co-worker was sitting here talking. Next thing we know, we heard automatic gunfire. And, so what we did … we hit the floor.”

Clay was in Rimtyme when shots rang out just before 5:00. At least three bullets hit the store. One of them shattered a window, leaving debris in its wake.

He says there must have been some personal beef that led to the shooting.

“It has to have been. Yeah, it was two cars involved that we were told. It was two vehicles involved. so, it had to be some altercation coming out of one of the side stores up here. So, that was what started everything the way it was.”

M & M of M & M Ribs was on his grill when the shooting started, but got out of the firing line quickly just to save himself.

“I heard the gunshots and I ran. After the third one, it’s time to go. So, I didn’t see nothing. After I raised up from the green car, I seen two cars wrecked.”

Police say the gunshots caused two cars on Brainerd Road to crash while trying to avoid getting hit. One driver was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Across from where the shooting happened is Mexican restaurant Mexi-Wing VII, and a couple patrons had their cars shot.

It’s something people around this area are not used to.

Clay: “You have restaurants and everything over here. People bring their families to come out to eat and everything, and, you know, they’ll go in the stores and maybe buy something. Other than that, no arguments that I know of. But, since I’ve been coming over there, this is the first time this ever happened. I’ve been here all my life.”

We reached out to the police department to learn more details, but a spokesperson says the incident is still under investigation.