NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A South Nashville woman is breaking her silence after a terrifying midday attack outside a Family Dollar store. Kelly Riley, a longtime resident, never imagined crime would touch her so personally—until she became a victim herself.
The attack happened on a Sunday afternoon in December when Riley was leaving the store. As she approached her car, a silver Ford Focus with rear-end damage suddenly pulled up. In seconds, a man jumped out, grabbed her purse, and in the struggle, she was thrown violently to the ground.
“The next thing I remember was waking up in the emergency room,” Riley recalled. “It’s just so crazy.”
Metro Nashville Police launched an investigation and arrested the attackers within weeks. But despite their quick action, Riley and her neighbors remain deeply concerned about crime in their area.
According to Metro Police, South Nashville consistently receives more emergency calls than any other precinct. However, while crime statistics show a gradual decrease in violent incidents, residents say that’s not enough to make them feel safe.
“Just because the numbers are going down doesn’t mean the fear is,” Riley said. “We need a real solution.”
Authorities confirmed that Riley’s attackers also targeted two other women in similar incidents before they were caught. The brazenness of these crimes—happening in broad daylight—has left the community shaken.
Riley now hopes to spark a conversation about making neighborhoods safer. While she’s grateful for the arrests, she believes more proactive steps are needed to prevent such attacks from happening again.
“I don’t know what the answer is, but we need to do something,” she urged.
As Metro Police work to address crime concerns, residents like Riley continue to seek lasting solutions to protect their community.
