Two arrested in shooting at Montgomery County Courthouse

The shooting took place outside the Montgomery County Courthouse, located at 2 Millennium Plaza in downtown Clarksville. PHOTO BY DASH10 MEDIA Dalton Eatherly Clarksville resident Dalton Eatherly, 28, is facing attempted murder charges for shooting another man outside the Montgomery County Courthouse last week. On Wednesday, May 13, at about 1:20 p.m., deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Clarksville Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at the Montgomery County Courthouse, located at 2 Millennium Plaza in Clarksville. Upon arrival, deputies detained Eatherly and Joshua Fox, who were initially involved in a physical altercation that escalated to gunfire. Both individuals were reportedly injured and immediately transferred to area hospitals. What led to the shooting According to the arrest warrant and affidavit, after Eatherly and Fox became engaged in a verbal altercation, Eatherly reportedly turned his body in a bladed stance position, or sideways, toward Fox and reached for his firearm located in the pocket of his jacket. Eatherly is removed from the scene on a stretcher. SUBMITTED The affidavit said a physical altercation ensued and Eatherly shot Fox multiple times. Fox was life-flighted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville and underwent emergency surgery. Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson said the situation could have been much worse had courthouse deputies not been nearby. “Their dedication to keeping the courthouse safe was clearly demonstrated today,” Sheriff Fuson said. Bond set for Eatherly As a result of the investigation, Eatherly, known online as “Chud the Builder,” was charged with Criminal Attempt: Murder, Employing a Firearm During a Dangerous Felony, Aggravated Assault and Reckless Endangerment with a Deadly Weapon. He appeared in a Montgomery County courtroom on Friday, May 15, where General Sessions Court Judge Reid Poland III set a temporary bond at $1.25 million, with a follow-up hearing set for May 21. Judge Poland said the bond was based on how many people were at the courtyard of the courthouse when the shooting occurred, and the seriousness of the case. Petition opposing Eatherly’s bond amount A petition is circulating calling on Robert Nash, District Attorney General for the 19th Judicial District, and the Montgomery County Courts to reduce Eatherly’s bond. “With over 500 signatures in under 24 hours, the public is sending a clear message,” said Richard Forrester, petition organizer. “Tennessee citizens expect equal justice under the law — not politically motivated lawfare targeting controversial speech. The court must follow the Constitution and its own precedents at the May 21 bond hearing.” The group claims Eatherly’s $1.25 million bail for his attempted murder charge is five times higher than the highest murder bail under Gen. Nash and 31 times higher than his average bail for an attempted murder charge. In addition to requesting the reduction of Eatherly’s bond, the petition demands a full review and dismissal of the attempted murder charge, citing self-defense and claiming Eatherly attempted to disengage after he was attacked. The petition also calls for Nash’s resignation and judicial accountability in the case. “We are faced with a two-tiered justice system that unfairly targets white Americans with oppressive enforcement actions,” the petition reads. “This case represents a pivotal moment in American history, and has a significant impact on free speech, self-defense, and racial double-standards.”