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Denzel Molina

Age : 16

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 08/06/2026

Location : Thompson Lane Self Storage, 2800 block of Landers Avenue

City : Nashville

County : Davidson

State : Tennessee

Agency : Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by federal agents during firearms enforcement operation

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/06/2026, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents conducted a planned federal firearms enforcement operation at Thompson Lane Self Storage in the 2800 block of Landers Avenue in South Nashville. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the operation concerned the suspected sale of unlawful firearms. Metro Nashville Police Department officers were assisting ATF with the operation.

ATF's Special Response Team encountered two people during the operation: 16-year-old Denzel Molina and 32-year-old James Salinas. According to the initial police account, agents approached one of the two men near the rear of the storage facility and that person pulled a gun and fired at the federal agents. An ATF agent returned fire, fatally shooting him. Moments later, police said the second person pointed a gun at another agent, and ATF agents fired before that person fired, also killing him. Investigators reported recovering two guns.

TBI's initial public statement did not identify which of the two — Molina or Salinas — authorities allege fired at agents and which allegedly pointed a firearm. Because the available official information does not establish that distinction, it should not be attributed to Molina without further confirmation. TBI identified Molina and Salinas on 08/07/2026.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is independently investigating the shootings at the request of 20th Judicial District Attorney General Glenn Funk. Investigators are collecting physical evidence and interviewing witnesses, and TBI will submit its findings to Funk for review. TBI does not identify the officers involved in shootings it investigates, and ATF has not publicly identified the agent or agents who fired at Molina in the sources reviewed.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://fox17.com/news/local/two-killed-during-atf-federal-firearms-enforcement-operation-in-nashville-after-agents-came-under-fire-as-tbi-launches-investigation
https://www.wsmv.com/2026/08/06/2-dead-after-shooting-involving-federal-agents-nashville-heres-what-we-know/
https://tbinewsroom.com/2026/08/06/tbi-special-agents-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-in-nashville-4/