Police responded to a shooting at approximately 1:50 a.m. Thursday in the 3000 block of Travis Road, where officers found a male who died from gunshot wounds at the scene. Kendra Scott, 36, was arrested and later charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
Court documents indicate Scott discovered a 20-year-old man named Morton hiding under her 13-year-old daughter’s bed. Scott allegedly told police she came home and “saw a dude under” the bed—adding, “I did what I had to do.” The affidavit states the gunshot wound was in the back of the victim’s head, and he was found outside the home.
Scott’s daughter reportedly allowed her mother inside, where Scott allegedly located Morton. Scott then screamed at him, “Get out of my house, bitch,” and followed Morton outside the front door. Moments later, Scott’s daughter and a neighbor heard a gunshot. The neighbor later told police he witnessed Scott still holding the gun near the victim’s body while admitting, “I shot him, I shot him.” Officers recovered one spent shell casing on the porch and a Smith & Wesson black handgun at the scene.
Scott’s lawyer, Blake Ballin, described the incident as beginning with “the worst nightmare of any parent of a 13-year-old girl” and noted it “predictably ended in tragedy,” emphasizing whether rational action was possible under such circumstances. Retired law enforcement officer and firearm self-defense trainer Buddy Smith stated the facts do not qualify under Tennessee’s Castle Doctrine, which permits defense when someone breaks into your home to commit violence. He added that the affidavit lacks evidence of threats against Scott or others at the time.
Gloria Milon, a local resident, expressed sympathy for Scott: “She seemed like a real nice lady. All I can say is, that hurts that someone was in there with one of her little girls.” An anonymous neighbor said if they had been in that situation and seen Scott on their doorbell camera, they would have called police immediately to have officers arrive.
A judge set Scott’s bond at $100,000; she remained jailed Tuesday, with a court date scheduled for August 3.
