Warning: The video with this story could be disturbing to some.
Newly released video and images show the moment Jack Henson II, armed with what authorities said was a loaded revolver and a knife, was fatally shot by security inside the federal courthouse in downtown Nashville the morning of Oct. 8.
Officials on Oct. 12 released a 33-second video clip of footage from the courthouse lobby, along with an image of the revolver and still images of Henson approaching the security checkpoint. The video and images, along with more details on the shooting, were released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and the District Attorney General’s Office for the 20th Judicial District.
The Tennessean has included a portion
of the video with this story, but not the portion that shows Henson being shot and falling to the floor.
The video shows Henson approaching the security checkpoint and waving his arms while holding what appears to be a knife. At least five other people are visible throughout the video, including three uniformed security guards, a person pushing a dust mop who crossed through the security checkpoint after Henson approached, and a person on the other side of the checkpoint collecting an item from a plastic bin. The faces of all the people in the video were blurred out, except for Henson.
Henson placed his arms in the air several times before pulling what appeared to be a small gun out of his pocket and pointing it at one of the security guards. He appeared to put the gun back in his pocket, then approached one of the guards — who had a gun drawn — with the knife in his hand. Henson's arms were raised as he lurched toward the guard and the guard appeared to open fire. Henson fell to the floor just before the clip ended.
The Oct. 12 release included four photos, three of which are still images from the surveillance video. The fourth is of the gun, which has a small metal barrel and black handle.
Officials reveal details on fatal Nashville courthouse shooting
The release said Henson, who is 42, was holding a North American Arms .22 revolver that he purchased legally from a licensed North Carolina firearm dealer in 2022.
"The video shows that, after displaying both the firearm and the knife and after pointing both at court security officers, Henson rapidly approached one security officer with his arms extended and the knife out, coming close enough to strike the court security officer with the knife," the release stated. "The court security officer then fired his weapon to stop the threat. Lifesaving efforts were then made by members of the U.S. Marshals Service until emergency personnel could arrive."
The gun was loaded and had a spent cartridge casing still in the cylinder, according to the release. Officials do not believe Henson fired the weapon inside the courthouse. In an Oct. 8 news briefing after the shooting, officials said they believed he attempted to fire the gun and that it jammed.
The photo of the weapon shows how the handle can be folded in and then extended back into position when it's ready to be fire.
"This information is provided the interest of transparency regarding an officer involved shooting but the matter is still under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation," the release said. "Therefore, no additional comment will be forthcoming until that investigation is concluded."
A motive for Henson's actions is still unclear. Here's what we know.
How the shooting unfolded
Henson drew a pistol and pulled the trigger after entering the lobby of Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, according to Metro Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron. The lobby is open to the public and has a security checkpoint inside.
After the gun failed to fire, Henson drew a knife, according to Aaron. He said a security officer who works with the U.S. Marshals Service manning the checkpoint then shot and critically wounded Henson. Officials did not say how many shots were fired at Henson.
Henson was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died, according to Aaron. Nobody else was hurt.
Police did not find anything harmful in a white SUV they said Henson parked along a sidewalk outside the courthouse the morning of Oct. 8. Surrounding streets were shut down and the nearby downtown Nashville Public Library branch was evacuated as a precaution after the shooting.
Who was Jack Henson?
As of Oct. 12, officials have only released Henson's name and date of birth, along with saying he is not from Tennessee.
A social media account that appeared to belong to Henson said he was from Siler City, North Carolina, and that he helped run a car shop. When The Tennessean called the shop on Oct. 12, the employee who answered said the shop is not commenting on Henson. Henson's sister also declined to speak about her brother when The Tennessean reached out on Oct. 12.
Facebook posts from people who said they grew up with Henson expressed grief and shock over what happened and made calls for transparency and justice.
A TBI background check showed Henson had no criminal record in Tennessee. In North Carolina, court records showed he only had a handful of traffic violations or decades-old charges tied to underage drinking.
Who shot Henson?
Officials have not released the name of the court security officer who shot Henson.
During an Oct. 8 news briefing, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob McGuire said security officials at the courthouse are sometimes retired law enforcement hired by the U.S. Marshals. He did not know if the officer was officially a deputy with the U.S. Marshals.
A Tennessean request for information on the security worker is still pending with the U.S. Marshals Service. A request for surveillance footage is also pending with the Federal Protection Service. The two agencies handle security at the federal courthouse, according to Aaron.
"This is the first time anything like this has happened in this courthouse," McGuire said. "We've been here since 2022. Certainly, we've had security instances where a person acts up or acts inappropriately and has to be removed from the premises, but nothing even approaching this kind of situation."
Where does the investigation stand?
During the Oct. 8 briefing, McGuire said investigators are still determining if the shooting was an isolated incident or not. He repeatedly deferred to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the case.
"We're still trying to figure why he came to Nashville, why he came to our courthouse and what his intention was when he got here," McGuire said.
TBI took on the case at the request of District Attorney General Glenn Funk and the U.S. Marshals Service, according to an Oct. 8 news release from the agency. Investigators are working to determine the events leading up to the shooting, collect evidence and conduct interviews, the release stated. Findings will be shared with Funk's office.
"The TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters," the release said. "That decision rests with the District Attorney General requesting TBI’s involvement."
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Officials release footage of fatal Nashville courthouse shooting
