NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nashville is off to a deadly new year as Metro police investigate five homicides in the last few days.

The latest fatal shooting was Thursday, Jan. 5 in South Nashville at the Residences at Stonebrook Apartments on Hickory Trace Drive.

Metro police said someone passing by made the horrific discovery on the sidewalk of the apartment complex around 7 a.m. Thursday.

Metro police identified the victim as 30-year-old Lubunga Lumenge.

A resident of the complex said neighbors heard a single gunshot around 4 a.m.

The discovery came after a violent night in Nashville, with three shootings in only a matter of hours.

“This area has gotten much worse crime-wise,” explained Brandi Lewis, who lives down the road from the crime scene.

Thursday morning’s fatal shooting is the second at the apartment complex in a matter of months.

“Everybody that says Nashville is an ‘it city.’ Yeah, we apparently are, but all of that entails includes crimes,” said Lewis. 

Metro police are busy investigating several shootings across the city in the last 24 hours, one that claimed the life of 19 year Eric D. Baker in a parking lot at Madison Park on North Dupont Avenue.

The string of violent crimes is a concern for residents and city leaders. District 19 Metro Councilman Freddie O’Connell says gun violence is one of the hardest and most dangerous issues we deal with from a public safety perspective.

“This is tricky because Tennessee is a state where we have continually relaxed policies related to gun ownership, and more recently, one of the things we keep hearing from Metro Nashville Police Department is please secure, if you own a firearm, secure it,” O’Connell told News 2.

Metro police confirmed they worked 105 homicides in 2022, up from 102 in 2021. In 2020, there were 114 homicides, the most in decades.

“From having grown up here in Nashville, crime rates used to be much higher on a per capita basis in particular than they are right now. That doesn’t mean we should ever take our eye off the ball. Our top priority as a community always has to be public safety. It’s sort of the foundation of which you do everything else,” said O’Connell.

Lewis said while the news is scary, it’s not surprising.

“I don’t know what the resolution is. I mean, more police? Well, there’s a police station right down the road and if you just have a wreck you are going to wait two to three hours. So, a wreck compared to a homicide or any other major crime, who’s going to come first,” said Lewis, pointing to other crimes in the area. 

Councilman Robert Nash told News 2, “We need to hire as many police officers as we can and get them equipped.”

The property manager for Stonebrook released the following statement to News 2:

“We are sad to report a shooting occurred involving one of our residents. Our condolences go out to the individual’s family and all those affected by this tragedy. We are fully cooperating with local authorities and providing assistance in any way we can. Because this matter is part of an active police investigation, we must direct your questions to the Nashville Police Department at (615) 862-8600. There appears to be no threat to the community at this time.”

Police are still investigating the motives behind the latest two homicides, with the shooters on the run.