a day ago
Rally to be held ahead of competency hearing for man accused of killing Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — On Sunday, people will rally in honor of a Belmont University student who died after being shot while on a walk.
On November 7, 2023, 18-year-old Jillian Ludwig was shot while walking in the Edgehill Community Memorial Gardens Park. She later died from her injuries. Shaquille Taylor was taken into custody, and later indicted, in connection with the shooting.
The rally will happen just one day before the court decides if Taylor is competent to stand trial. Ludwig's family said they would never stop fighting for justice.
NOVEMBER 2023 | From Nashville to New Jersey: Jillian Ludwig remembered by family, friends
'We miss her. Her parents are inconsolable still,' Jillian's aunt and rally organizer Geri Wainwright said. 'It doesn't go away. It comes in waves.'
The peaceful rally will be at 2 p.m. outside the Davidson County courthouse. Wainwright said they hope the community will help advocate for Jillian and a safer Nashville.
'We believe that … his intent was to kill someone, whether it was Jill or not, and he needs to be held accountable for that,' Wainwright said.
Taylor had been prosecuted by the Nashville District Attorney's Office for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon related to an August 2021 incident. However, doctors did not find that Taylor met the standards for involuntary commitment and he was released from custody in May 2023.
'Anybody who can hold a job, have a girlfriend, lock and load a gun, have a drivers license, maintain any kind of adult standard of living — certainly can understand the difference between right and wrong,' Wainwright said.
AUGUST 2024 | Tennessee's new 'Jillian's Law' already being put to use
Last year, the legislature passed 'Jillian's Law,' which requires any person deemed incompetent to stand trial to be entered into the National Instant Background Check System, prohibiting those in a name check database from buying firearms. The law also requires defendants to be admitted in appropriate treatment facilities.
Wainwright said Monday would be an emotional day for the family, but if Taylor is forced to stand trial, it's a step in the right direction.
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'We're hoping that the community'll come out and support us in advocating for Jillian and advocating for a safer Nashville,' Wainwright said.
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