South Nashville residents are on edge after a string of broad-daylight attacks left one woman shaken and determined to see real change in her community.
Kelly Riley has lived in South Nashville for over five years without much concern for crime — until December, when she became a victim herself. Riley was leaving a Family Dollar on a Sunday afternoon when the unthinkable happened.
“I was just getting into my car when a car sped up out of nowhere,” Riley recalled. “Before I knew it, someone grabbed my purse. I fought back, but the next thing I remember is waking up in the emergency room.”
Metro Nashville Police identified the vehicle involved as a silver Ford Focus with rear-end damage. They said a man and a woman jumped out of the car, assaulted Riley, and threw her to the ground in the struggle.
But Riley wasn’t their only victim. Police said the same pair, along with two others, attacked two more women in similar daylight incidents before they were arrested just days later.
Despite the quick arrests, Riley and her neighbors remain uneasy. South Nashville consistently reports more calls for police service than any other area in the city — and while police data shows violent crime has actually been declining year after year, that’s little comfort for those who’ve felt its impact firsthand.
“Even if crime rates are going down, it doesn’t feel that way when you’re scared to walk to your car,” Riley said. “We need to find a way to help our neighborhood feel safe again.”
