CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The suspect in the homicide at a Clarksville Walmart Monday evening stole snacks before the shooting, and was caught by a K-9 unit in the woods behind Planet Fitness shortly after.
The suspect, 42-year-old Christopher Glenn Clark, has been charged with criminal homicide.
Just before midnight on Monday evening, Clarksville Police officers responded to the Walmart at 1680 Fort Campbell Boulevard in reference to a shooting in progress, according to court records obtained by Clarksville Now.
They found 55-year-old William Eakes, Jr. with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Tennova Healthcare – Clarksville, where he was later pronounced deceased due to his injuries, the records said.
During the investigation, officers determined through multiple eyewitnesses and security camera footage from Walmart that a white male wearing a red hoodie and blue jeans entered the store, grabbed a drink and bag of chips from inside, and walked back out of the front door, the records continued.
Shortly after, the victim was seen on the security camera footage exiting the store through the front door where the male in the red hoodie – later identified as Clark – turns around while producing a firearm and shoots Eakes, Jr. multiple times, the records said.
Clark is then seen running away from the scene in a southern direction, according to the records.
When officers initially arrived on scene, a K-9 track was started, which led officers southbound through a wood line and near the back entrance to the Planet Fitness at 1600 Fort Campbell Boulevard where Clark was found and arrested.
During the K-9 track, a .380 caliber handgun was located in the direction Clark ran, which is consistent with the .380 caliber shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting, the court records said.
A show-up – a form of eyewitness identification – was conducted with the suspect and and someone who witnessed the shooting, and Clark was positively identified as the shooter, the court records said.
Police officers were also able to positively identify Clark as the shooter based on security camera footage from Walmart, the records continued.
According to his warrant, Clark is set to appear in court on March 9.