Mark Capps, 54, of Nashville was shot by a SWAT officer Thursday (January 5), the Metro Nashville Police Department reports. He was 54.
MNPD spokesperson Don Aaron said that Capps, a Grammy Award-winning audio engineer, woke his wife, 60, and stepdaughter, 24, around 3:00 a.m. Thursday morning, and forced them to the living room at gunpoint.
“They said Capps repeatedly pointed his pistol at each of them and told them multiple times that if they attempted to call anyone, he would kill them and would kill any police that showed up at the house,” Aaron said.
Authorities say that when Capps fell asleep, the women escaped to a nearby police precinct.
Warrants were issued around 2 p.m. for aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault, and the women filed an order of protection against Capps.
SWAT officers were sent to the home due to Capps’ violent actions and his access to guns.
Officers are on the scene of a fatal police shooting at a home on Summit Run Place in Hermitage. A SWAT officer fired on an armed 54 year old man who was wanted on agg assault & agg kidnapping warrants involving his wife & stepdaughter. They fled the home this morning. pic.twitter.com/xAbbmA3mhi
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) January 5, 2023
Body cam footage released late Thursday show SWAT Officer Kendall Coon approaching the front door of Capps’ home. The front door is seen opening while Coon stands on the porch. Coon and another officer yelled at Capps three times commanding him to show his hands.
“Officer Coon deemed that Capps’ movements posed an immediate, imminent threat and fired,” Aaron said in the video commentary.
The Tennesseean reports that “At least four shots could be heard in the video as the glass door shattered and the main door appeared to swing partially shut. The officers continued to yell at Capps to show his hands three more times as they entered the home before the body-camera footage cut back to Aaron’s commentary.”
Capps died at the scene.
Mark Capps was the son of Opry guitarist Jimmy Capps who died in 2020. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Jeffrey Allen Capps, who died two days prior (January 3).
Starting in 1987, Mark Capps worked as an audio engineer with numerous gospel and country artists. Those artist include: Aaron Tippin, the Dixie Chicks, Blake Shelton, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Brooks & Dunn, Barry Manilow, Chris Young, Conway Twitty, Joe Diffie, the Oak Ridge Boys, The Isaacs, Big & Rich, the Gaither Vocal Band, John Michael Montgomery, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, Olivia Newton-John, Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis and more.
Capps earned Grammy Awards for best polka album four years in a row, from 2005 through 2008, for his work with Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra.
He traveled with Opry members The Isaacs as their sound engineer for the last 18 years. The family band issued a statement after news of Capps’ death was released.
“Mark Capps has been a beloved and faithful employee of The Isaacs for 18 years. We are devastated and heartbroken over his death. This conduct does not represent the Mark that we have known. We have a lot of questions as many others do. We are praying that God will give us all peace as we experience this great loss,” the Isaacs wrote.
Our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved Mark Capps.