Country music superstar Morgan Wallen arrested in Nashville
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Morgan Wallen in November 2023. Photo: Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images
Nashville police arrested country music superstar Morgan Wallen late Sunday after officers accused him of throwing a chair off the rooftop at Chief's on Broadway.
- He faces three counts of felony reckless endangerment and one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
Zoom in: The Tennessean reports that police watched surveillance footage from the bar and saw Wallen, 30, "lunging and throwing an object over the roof." The chair landed on Broadway near two officers, police said.
- Witnesses saw Wallen laughing afterward, the newspaper reported.
What they're saying: Wallen's attorney Worrick Robinson said in a statement that Wallen was "cooperating fully with authorities" following the Sunday night arrest. Wallen was released
Between the lines: Chief's is fellow country star Eric Church's bar, which opened Friday.
- Wallen recently announced plans to open his own bar in the downtown entertainment district.
The big picture: The arrest comes amid a broader discussion about safety and excessive drinking on Lower Broadway.
- City leaders have been publicly mulling options to improve safety following the death of Riley Strain, a Missouri college student who died after security at a downtown bar kicked him out. Searchers found his body two weeks later in the Cumberland River.
Flashback: Wallen was previously arrested on Lower Broadway on misdemeanor charges in 2020, after police said he was kicked out of Kid Rock's bar.
Zoom out: Wallen has attracted controversy throughout his climb to stardom.
- In 2021, he was caught on video using a racial slur. The ensuing fallout spurred a debate over the lack of inclusiveness for minority artists and fans. Wallen apologized afterward.
- He has been wildly successful despite the controversies. Last year, his song "Last Night" was a massive hit on Billboard's all-genre Hot 100 chart.
What's next: Wallen was released from jail at about 3:30am Monday morning, according to the Davidson County Sheriff's Office.
- His next scheduled court date on the 2024 charges is May 3, the same day he is scheduled to play one of three shows at Nissan Stadium.