Joshua Taylor EakerJohn Crisman shot his brother, Joshua Taylor, at 5227 Hickory Woods Lane in Hixson early Wednesday morning during a forced entry, according to police.
The site marked one of multiple shootings in Chattanooga Tuesday night and before daybreak Wednesday that left at least one person dead.
In Hixson, Crisman shot Taylor around 3 a.m. Wednesday as Taylor attempted to enter into the house through a window, police said. Taylor had previously behaved in a threatening manner and the family feared for their lives, according to a report released by the Chattanooga Police Department.
The police report stated "it appears to be a justified use of force in defense of life."
Sprinkled salt and water covered the wooden stairs at the address, but red bloodstains still showed on the stairway of the wooden porch.
Luis Garcia and his family have lived in the community for five years. Crisman had lived there for only about a year and a half and Garcia said he's heard several residents arguing, but the community is relatively quiet.
Neighborhood children leave bicycles and Big Wheels in the yard and adults store their barbecue grills near the front porches. Hickory Woods is a cul-de-sac community of duplexes and small apartments. There's not much neighborhood violence, Garcia said. But early Wednesday morning, around 2:30 a.m., something went wrong, he said.
Garcia's family was just about to turn off the television and go to bed when they heard one car crash into another. People started arguing and then there was a loud noise. Garcia looked out his window and saw police cars at the 5227 Hickory Woods Lane address.
"It's calm over here," said Jocelyn Garcia. "We never expected anything like that to happen."
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 757-6431.