The suspect was also armed with a hatchet, according to police.
Police were called to a movie theater outside of Nashville Wednesday in response to reports of a shooter, according to the Metro Nashville PD.
The call reporting a shooter was received by police at 1:15 p.m. Police, EMS, and SWAT have responded to the scene. According to police, SWAT engaged with the shooter following the emergency call, resulting in a shootout. The suspect was killed in the exchange of gunfire.
The shooting occurred at the Carmike Hickory 8 theater in Antioch during a screening of Mad Max.
According to law enforcement, the suspect was armed with a hatchet in addition to a gun. He also had two backpacks with him. It's unclear what is contained in the bags. Police are investigating the bags with a hazardous materials team.
A spokesperson for the Nashville Fire Department said three patients were treated for pepper spray exposure. One of the three treated was also treated for a "superficial wound" that "could have been caused by a hatchet." The injury was described further as "not much more than a bad bruise." No deaths, apart from the shooter, have been reported.
"We don't anticipate at this point transferring anyone to the hospital," the spokesperson said.
A witness who works at a nearby business told CNN she believes she encountered the shooter before the incident, identified by his two backpacks, and said he appeared middle-aged.