A man is dead and a homicide investigation is ongoing after an incident at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row restaurant and bar at Fourth Avenue on Lower Broadway in Nashville. Metro Nashville police were called to the scene Monday night (8-16) just before 11 a.m. after a 911 call about a fight at the location. When police arrived, they found a man unresponsive on the rooftop bar.
The man was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, according to police. Witnesses say they saw first responders performing CPR on the individual as they took him off the premises on a stretcher. Security guards at Whiskey Row had reportedly told the man to leave the premises prior to the fight, but he refused. Security then reportedly held the man down until officers arrived. Metro Nashville is preliminary characterizing the death as a homicide, but is not ruling on a cause of death and is calling it “unclassified” until an autopsy is performed.
“Homicide Unit detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Monday night’s death of Dallas Jordan Barrett, 22, of Smyrna, who was involved in an altercation with security staff on the roof area of Whiskey Row bar at 400 Broadway,” a statement from Metro Nashville to Saving Country Music reads. “Barrett’s death is unclassified at present pending an autopsy.”
The statement continues, “MNPD officers responded to the top floor of the bar pursuant to a 10:56 p.m. 911 call concerning a fight. The initial responding officers found Barrett on the floor unresponsive and began CPR until they were relieved by Nashville Fire Department personnel. Barrett was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.”
“Detectives were told by staff at the bar that Barrett became unruly and was asked to leave. They said that he began to fight with security staff, who reportedly pulled him to the ground and held him on the floor. Barrett reportedly became unresponsive while being held on the ground by security.”
Detectives have obtained one cell phone video of the incident, but are asking anyone else who may have recorded video of the incident Monday night to please contact the Metro Nashville Police Department at 615-862-7019.
Whiskey Row is owned and operated by the Riot Hospitality Group. Lissa Druss, External Communications & Government Relations for the company, said in a statement, “We are working with authorities and conducting an internal investigation to determine what happened.”
More information on the incident when it becomes available.