Nashville college student's family alleges negligence by city, school officials after fatal shooting by stray bullet in park.

In 2023, the parents of an 18-year-old Belmont University freshman in Nashville, Tennessee, who was killed by a stray bullet to the head, are filing a lawsuit against multiple individuals and entities after their daughter lay dying on a sidewalk for over an hour.

In Davidson County, Tennessee, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the defendants, claiming that Jillian Ludwig, 18, was killed in a shooting due to the defendants' negligence and recklessness.

The defendants in the case are the city of Nashville, the state of Tennessee, the Nashville Metro Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), Belmont University, state or city employees who evaluated shooting suspect Shaquille Latrelle Taylor's mental health, a gun supplier that sold a firearm to Taylor and others.

At the time of her death, Ludwig was widely regarded as a promising up-and-coming musician by many music professionals, the lawsuit claims. She was skilled in playing six different instruments, was a member of three bands, and had performed at renowned venues in Nashville.

The suit states that Jillian was a talented young woman with a bright future ahead of her, and she loved her family and friends.

The lawsuit alleges that Taylor, who was previously deemed incompetent to stand trial in a criminal case prior to Ludwig's death, illegally possessed a firearm and discharged it in the area where the 18-year-old was running on Nov. 7, 2023, resulting in his death.

At approximately 2:20 p.m., while jogging on a track in Edgehill Community Memorial Gardens Park, Ludwig was unintentionally hit by gunfire that was aimed at someone else, according to the Nashville Police Department.

On November 8, Nashville police arrested Taylor, a 29-year-old repeat offender, for the shooting that critically injured Ludwig before she ultimately passed away.

In March, Taylor, with a history of criminal offenses, was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder, felony weapons possession with intent, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and reckless endangerment.

The Nashville teenager and pregnant woman were shot by the suspect, resulting in the miscarriage of the woman's unborn child, according to the complaint.

In the Edgehill Community Memorial Gardens Park area, Ludwig was running when Taylor "recklessly discharged a .40-caliber firearm," striking the 18-year-old musician in the head.

For over an hour, Jillian lay bleeding in plain view in broad daylight before being discovered by police and receiving medical attention, as stated in the complaint.

Matthew Ludwig, Ludwig's father, previously stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the shooting was entirely preventable.

In November 2023, he stated that the laws in effect were inadequate.

"They protect the criminals and not the innocent victims." — Jessica Ludwig, November 2023

Belmont University should have warned students about the unsafe area where Ludwig was running, as they had previously issued security warnings in other less dangerous areas.

Jillian's death has caused grief among the Belmont University community, which remains committed to ensuring the safety of its students. The university cannot comment on the pending litigation, but it expressed its condolences in a statement.

The complaint claims that the Nashville MDHA, which owned the apartment complex where Taylor, a felon, allegedly fired his illegally possessed weapon, had a responsibility to prevent Taylor from using a handgun on its property and shooting into the park where Ludwig was running.

The Nashville Department of Law will not comment on the pending litigation involving the metro housing agency until the case is resolved.

The lawsuit accuses Jenny Matthai, Dr. Michael Loftin, and Dr. Mary Jane Wood, along with the Tennessee government, of having conflicting evaluations regarding Taylor's competency to stand trial and his qualification for involuntary confinement prior to the shooting that resulted in Ludwig's death.

The complaint states that Taylor was granted freedom from both criminal charges and forced confinement, which posed a significant risk of physical harm to Jillian.

According to the lawsuit, Matthai, Loftin, and Wood were aware that Taylor had a history of violence and gun violence while he was in their custody. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that the defendants should have known that Taylor would likely harm others if released.

Planet Chronicle Digital did not receive a response from the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging.

In a statement to Planet Chronicle Digital, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell expressed his continued grief for Jillian Ludwig, her family, and the entire Belmont community.

"We grieved senseless gun violence last year, and I am inspired by the resilience of the Belmont community as they mourned Jillian's passing. I hope the Ludwig family feels our support as we continue to search for solutions to reduce gun violence in our community."

The Ludwigs' lawyers refrained from commenting on the case at the time of publication to show respect for the family.

In 2023, Matthew Ludwig told Planet Chronicle Digital that anyone could experience this situation until laws change. The Ludwig family successfully passed Jillian's law in April 2023, which mandates that incompetent dependents stand trial in the appropriate mental health facility.

Dependents deemed incompetent under the law must be entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to prevent them from purchasing firearms.