A Streamer Predicted He Could Kill a Black Person and Get Away With It. Thousands Watched. When He Shot Someone, the Real Story Began.

Shooter and Victim Identified in Clarksville Courthouse Plaza Shooting

Joshua Fox stated in an interview that he does not want to be identified primarily as the man shot by Dalton Levi Eatherly. Fox, 31, was wounded in an altercation captured on courthouse security video on May 13 in Clarksville, Tennessee. Eatherly, 29, a contractor who streamed under the name Chud the Builder, faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment. The case is scheduled for further proceedings in Montgomery County General Sessions Court.

Public records show Eatherly had prior pending cases involving harassment and theft in two jurisdictions at the time of the incident. He was also subject to a default judgment entered that morning for $3,466.63 in credit-card debt after failing to appear for a scheduled hearing before Judge H. Reid Poland III. Four hours later, Eatherly arrived at the courthouse plaza wearing a blazer and carrying a selfie stick and a firearm.

Fox and his wife, Shaniqua Fox, were at the plaza for a 1:30 p.m. child-custody hearing. Courthouse CCTV footage shows Eatherly approaching the couple. An exchange of words occurred. Eatherly then walked away. Fox stood, approached Eatherly, and made gestures. Eatherly transferred the selfie stick to his left hand and placed his right hand in his jacket pocket. Fox moved away and then returned. According to the arrest warrant and statements from lead investigator Detective Michael Weber, Eatherly adopted a bladed stance while reaching for the firearm. A physical struggle followed in which Fox struck Eatherly. The two men fell to the ground. Seven shots were fired. Eatherly sustained a gunshot wound to his arm; Fox was struck five times at close range. Fox was transported by air to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and survived.

Eatherly was arrested two days later. Judge Poland set bond at $1.25 million, later reduced to $1 million. Both men were ordered not to discuss the case publicly or on social media.

Fox is a U.S. military veteran who has described receiving a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. Public records also show that Fox was arrested in Clarksville in 2024 on charges of aggravated domestic assault. Court documents list the case as resolved through plea or other disposition; details of the final outcome are available in Montgomery County records.

Eatherly began posting confrontational videos in 2024 after a road-rage incident in Clarksville. Video and social-media posts from that event show him directing a racial slur at a motorist. Local Facebook groups circulated images of the encounter. Eatherly later stated on a podcast that the incident contributed to the loss of his construction employment. He subsequently formed a remodeling business under the name DLE Contracting. He also posted content filmed in public spaces in which he directed racial language at individuals and displayed a firearm while recording. Tennessee’s stand-your-ground statutes were in effect during these recordings.

Eatherly’s online activity drew attention from viewers and critics. Some accounts amplified segments of the videos; others reported them to platforms or local authorities. In the weeks before the May 13 shooting, commentator Nick Fuentes publicly described Eatherly’s approach as excessive. Eatherly maintained an active presence on X and other platforms, where clips of his encounters circulated.

The May 13 incident occurred in a municipal plaza adjacent to the Montgomery County courthouse. Security cameras recorded the sequence without audio. The footage shows the initial approach by Eatherly, the subsequent movement by Fox, the physical contact initiated by Fox, and the discharge of the firearm. No other individuals were struck by gunfire. Police responded within minutes.

Following the shooting, Eatherly’s prior online content was widely redistributed. Supporters and opponents posted competing interpretations of the CCTV footage and the arrest warrant language. Some accounts emphasized Eatherly’s decision to enter the plaza while armed and his history of filming confrontations. Others highlighted Fox’s movement toward Eatherly and the punch that began the physical struggle. Both sets of claims reference the same publicly available video and court documents.

Fox has been recovering from his injuries at an undisclosed location. His mother, Carolyn Smith, attended early court proceedings. Eatherly remains in custody pending trial. Additional hearings are expected to address motions and discovery. The prosecution and defense have not released further statements beyond the charging documents.

Tennessee law permits the carrying of firearms in many public spaces, subject to restrictions for individuals under bond or other disqualifiers. Eatherly was not prohibited from possessing a firearm at the time of the incident under state statutes then in force. The use of deadly force in self-defense remains an issue to be litigated in the pending criminal case.

The broader online discussion has included references to earlier incidents of racial violence in the region. Court records and contemporaneous reporting contain no evidence that the May 13 confrontation was planned in advance by either party. The sequence captured on video began with Eatherly’s approach to the Foxes and continued with Fox’s subsequent actions.

Local authorities have not released additional body-camera or witness statements beyond the initial warrant affidavit. The case file remains open in Montgomery County. Future proceedings will determine whether the evidence supports the charged offenses or any affirmative defenses.