Sheriff cites Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance after shots fired outside his home

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold told reporters Monday an alleged rise in crime against law enforcement following the Super Bowl halftime show may be to blame after several shots were fired outside his home Monday night.

Authorities told News 2 the sheriff, his wife and his children were all at their Osborne Lane home when the shooting happened around 9 p.m., but luckily no one was injured.

Sheriff Arnold reportedly told officials he does not know why he was targeted and has not received any threats lately.

“There’s always a concern in any community of anybody doing anything at any time. Do I feel like they did this because of where I live? I think that’s it. I don’t think of it being anywhere else,” Arnold said during a media availability Tuesday.

“Well that’s what I actually thought about. Once I kind of figured everything out you know, with everything that’s happened since the Super Bowl, and with law enforcement as a whole, I mean I think we have lost five to seven officers, five deputies and sheriff’s since Sunday’s Super Bowl.  You know, that’s what I am thinking. You know here is another target on law enforcement.”

When asked to clarify what he meant by Super Bowl, he clarified, “Well you have Beyonce’s video and how that’s kind of led over into other things it seems like, about law enforcement.”

Beyonce’s performance during the Super Bowl 50 half time show with Bruno Mars and Coldplay garnered both praise and some criticism.

During her routine, her backup dancers wore outfits similar to the style of the Black Panther party. Her dancers also formed an “X” on the field which some took as a tribute to slain black activist Malcom X. Click here to view the entire halftime show.

Two Maryland deputies died on Feb. 10 after they were wounded by a gunman who opened fire inside a crowded restaurant and got into a shootout with deputies.

Fargo officer Jason Moszer was killed during a standoff with a domestic violence suspect on Feb. 11.

Sheriff Arnold told the responding officer that he was on the phone when he heard about 8 gunshots outside his home.

He reported that he told his family to get on the ground while he looked out a window, spotting a dark grey Nissan Altima drive past the home, headed toward Memorial Boulevard.

A neighbor told the same officer she heard 5 to 6 shots outside. She looked out her window and saw a light colored four-door sedan back up and sit still at the house across the street for about 60 seconds before heading down Osborne Lane towards Memorial Boulevard.

A second neighbor told officers he was backing out of his driveway when he heard 5 gunshots. He stopped his vehicle, a 2015 White Nissan Altima, and looked around, according to the police report.

When he did not see anything, authorities said in the report that he continued on to Walmart.

Authorities found 6 .22 caliber shell casings in the street near the intersection of Osborne Lane and Caraway Drive.

The Murfreesboro Police Department is investigating.

-WKRN

Photo via People