Key Takeaways
- Dalton Eatherly, known online as “Chud the Builder,” was arrested after a shooting outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville, Tennessee.
- He faces serious felony charges: attempted criminal homicide, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.
- A $1.25 million bond was set, reflecting the high number of bystanders and the gravity of the alleged offenses.
- Eatherly has a documented history of posting racist livestreams, frequently using racial slurs and referring to Black people as “chimps.”
- Prior to the courthouse incident, he was arrested for theft of services, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest after being ejected from a Nashville restaurant for disruptive, racist behavior.
- Both Eatherly and the unidentified victim were shot, treated at local hospitals, and reported to be in stable condition; the victim is described as Black by a witness.
- A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 26, with court‑appointed attorney Jake Fendley representing him.
Dalton Eatherly, a 28‑year‑old livestreamer who broadcasts under the moniker “Chud the Builder,” appeared in a Montgomery County General Session Court on Friday morning after a violent confrontation outside the courthouse escalated into a shooting on Wednesday. According to the Tennessee District Attorney General’s Office and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Eatherly was taken into custody following an altercation with another man—whose identity has not been released—in the courthouse courtyard. The dispute reportedly began when Eatherly walked past a group of people who he claimed were laughing and pointing at him. One individual in the group told him to walk away, then approached Eatherly, saying he had PTSD and threatened to strike him after Eatherly allegedly began using racial slurs. Eatherly stated in a livestream recorded after the incident that the man hit him, prompting him to defend himself by firing a weapon.
The shooting resulted in both parties sustaining gunshot wounds. Emergency responders transported Eatherly and the unidentified man to nearby hospitals, where they were listed as being in stable condition. While both were initially detained, the other man was later released to medical personnel and is no longer in custody. Authorities have not disclosed the exact number of firearms involved or a detailed timeline of how the shooting unfolded, leaving several factual questions open for investigation.
At Eatherly’s arraignment and bond hearing, General Session Court Judge Reid Poland III set a bond of $1.25 million. The judge emphasized the high bond amount was justified by the large number of people present in the courthouse courtyard at the time and the seriousness of the multiple felony charges Eatherly faces. Those charges include attempted criminal homicide—which carries a potential sentence of 15 to 60 years in a Tennessee state penitentiary—employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. Eatherly, dressed in a marked Montgomery County Jail jumpsuit, appeared subdued when the bond was announced, closing his eyes for a moment as the judge spoke.
The court also appointed attorney Jake Fendley to represent Eatherly. Fendley has previously represented the defendant in other matters, though CNN has not yet received a comment from him or his office. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 26, at which the prosecution will present evidence supporting the felony charges.
Eatherly’s online persona provides context for the altercation. His livestreams, which have attracted a niche following, frequently feature racist rhetoric. He has been observed using racial slurs toward Black individuals and other minorities, and he often refers to Black people as “chimps.” In at least one prior video, he appeared to use physical force against a Black person. This pattern of behavior was highlighted in an affidavit related to a separate incident earlier in the month, when Eatherly was asked to leave a Nashville restaurant after livestreaming inside the establishment. Staff told him to stop broadcasting and refrain from being disruptive, but he continued, became “disruptive and started making racial statements, yelling, screaming,” and caused a scene. When presented with a bill for $371.55, he allegedly declared, “I’m not paying if you are kicking me out,” refused to pay, and was subsequently arrested for theft of services, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. He was released on a $5,000 bond after that arrest.
In addition to the restaurant incident, court records indicate that Eatherly had a civil hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning at the Montgomery County Courthouse—the same location where the shooting later occurred—regarding a debt case with Midland Credit Management Inc. He allegedly owed $3,300 to the credit company, though it remains unclear whether he attended that hearing before the shooting took place.
Overall, the case against Dalton Eatherly intertwines allegations of violent criminal conduct with a well‑documented history of extremist online activity. The high bond reflects the court’s concern for public safety given the number of potential bystanders and the serious nature of the charges. As the legal process moves forward, the May 26 preliminary hearing will be a critical juncture for determining how the prosecution’s case will proceed and what additional evidence may emerge regarding the motivations and circumstances surrounding the courthouse shooting.