Nashville park ranger shoots man driving on park grass

Nashville park ranger shoots man driving on park grass

July 7, 2005

NASHVILLE (AP) -- A man was critically wounded when he was shot Wednesday by a Nashville park ranger.

Randolph Kinzer, 66, was shot three time by parks Officer John Wells, who was trying to stop him from driving on the grass at a city park.

The shooting was witnessed by dozens of people who had gathered for an outdoor showing of the movie "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed."

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron says Kinzer had been driving on the park lawn when he was stopped by another park ranger. Kinzer told the officer he was trying to find a place to park, but would instead be leaving.

Aaron says that Kinzer's car returned to road, but when the man approached an intersection blocked by two parks department cars, his Saturn sedan jumped the curb and drove toward Officer Wells. The car touched Wells, who yelled for Kinzer to stop before he fired his pistol.

Nashville police are investigating the incident and will hand over results to the district attorney's office, which will decide whether to pursue prosecution.

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