Grammy winner killed in SWAT shooting after allegedly holding his family captive

HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) – A four-time Grammy-winning sound engineer, wanted on aggravated assault and kidnapping charges, is dead after being shot by a SWAT officer at his Hermitage home.

Metro Nashville Police said Mark Capps, 54, was wanted for kidnapping his wife and stepdaughter at gunpoint.

The shooting happened Thursday afternoon at a home on Summit Run Place, WSMV said.

Investigators said as SWAT approached the home, Capps came to the door with a gun and ignored two commands to drop his weapon. That’s when an officer, identified as Kendall Coon, opened fire on Capps. Coon has been with Metro Police for 14 years.

Capps’ discography shows he worked with big names like Big and Rich, Alabama, Blake Shelton, and Vince Gill. Metro Police confirmed his brother passed away two days ago.

Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron said the crimes began at 3 a.m. Thursday. Aaron said Capps’ wife, 60, and stepdaughter, 23, were woken at gunpoint and brought into a family room. Capps told the women he would kill them if they called for help or if they left, according to police.

Aaron said sometime after sunrise, Capps fell asleep, and the women were able to run away and go to the police. That’s when warrants were issued for Capps’ arrest.

A SWAT responded to the home on Thursday afternoon. Aaron said Capps came to the door with a gun.

Metro Police body camera video shows less than a second after the verbal command “show me your hands,” a SWAT officer shot Capps and killed him.

Nick Lantz, a neighbor and music industry colleague, remembers how they first met.

“I was out mowing the lawn, he came over, introduced himself. He was real friendly,” Lantz said. “We talked about working in the same industry and he just seemed like a normal, friendly guy when I met him.”

Metro Police said cameras outside Capps’ home may have allowed him to see SWAT officers before he encountered them.

Police said his wife and stepdaughter are safe at the Family Safety Center.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that agents responded to the shooting and will be investigating the incident.

The Metro Community Oversight Board will also investigate the shooting.

“Anytime there’s a loss of life of an individual during an encounter with MNPD it is a tragedy. The MNCO team reviewed the body-worn camera footage but still have many questions related to how this encounter ended the life of Mr. Capps,” Community Oversight Board Executive Director Jill Fitcheard said in a statement. “We don’t know all the details from the hours leading up to this encounter yet, but we will continue our investigation as we have in the past of any police officer-involved shootings. We were not expecting to have a police shooting occur this soon in the New Year and we send our sincere condolences to the Capps family.”

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