NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) – Saturday morning, Metro Police chief John Drake answered questions from reporters after a fatal shootout involving one of his officers.
Nika Holbert died of her injuries on Friday after Holbert and officer Josh Baker exchanged shots in a Dollar General parking lot at Brick Church Pike.
“I reviewed the camera images of the body, he seemed to do everything he could to try to lessen the situation, including using tasers, including trying not to use his firearm,” said Chief Drake.
On the morning of the shooting, Officer Baker stopped a black Chevy Camaro after swiping the license plates on his system and seeing that the car’s owner, Demond Buchanan, had six pending drug warrants. Baker quickly realized that the owner was not behind the wheel.
Instead, it was Nika Holbert. Images from the body camera released by the MNPD showed that Officer Baker found drugs in the car, called for backup on the radio and tried to arrest Holbert. That was when everything increased.
“Here, do me a favor and turn around,” said Baker.
“No, don’t handcuff me, I didn’t do anything wrong,” replied Holbert as she fled the cop.
The video shows Baker warned Holbert that she was about to be tazed. When she gets back to the car, he turns on the taser. Then you can see Holbert achieve something with his right hand. Baker believes it is a weapon. “Madam, put the gun down, put the gun down,” shouted Baker.
Holbert and the officer exchange shots. The Metropolitan Police said Baker was shot once, Holbert was shot twice. She then tried to escape, only to launch the Camaro into a ditch. Holbert later died from her injuries.
“There is nothing more that he could have done better than maybe leaving the scene and letting it go and, obviously, he couldn’t do that,” presumed Chief John Drake.
Drake says Baker couldn’t let her go, because he found out she was in possession of drugs and because he was driving without a Tennessee driver’s license.
Nika’s mother responds
Nika Holbert’s mother thinks she should never have reached this point. She called NewsChannel 5 wanting to share what she believes is her daughter’s perspective on this story. She asked us not to use her name in the interest of her own safety.
“There are thousands of scenarios that could have happened where the two of them could have walked away. My daughter should be alive today,” said Holbert’s mother.
Nika’s mother told NewsChannel 5 that she doesn’t know the owner of the car her daughter was driving. “If I did, I would have already arrested him – yesterday. I don’t know this guy,” she added.
She also said that she was not surprised that Nika had drawn a gun, saying that she was obviously scared. “He was trying to kill her with that taser and she was trying to protect herself,” she said.
Holbert’s mother is now hiring a lawyer and considering her legal options.
Latest on the condition of Baker officer
Chief John Drake visited an injured officer Josh Baker on Saturday morning in his hospital room at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “He was still in a little bit of pain, understandably. His stomach was – he had a procedure done, so he was still a little groggy,” said Drake.
The 14-year-old veteran of the force could be released in the next few days.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations is still investigating the case, but in the end it will be up to Attorney General Glenn Funk, if any further legal action is taken.
This is the full press conference with Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake: