Nashville SWAT team arrested a 21-year-old man, early Friday for the killing of ICU nurse Caitlyn Kaufman

Kaufman, 26, was on her way to work at St Thomas West Hospital in Nashville on December 3 when her car was struck by gunfire around 6.30pm

A medical examiner determined a single bullet that struck her shoulder and that the ICU nurse died within 15 seconds of being hit

A tip received Thursday identified Devaunte Hill, as the suspect and led to the recovery of the 9mm handgun used in the homicide

Kaufman and Hill did not know each other prior to the shooting, cops said

Hill’s prior criminal history includes charges of assault causing bodily injury, possession of drug paraphernalia

Police in Nashville, Tennessee have in custody a 21-year-old man who they say randomly shot and killed a COVID nurse as she drove to work last week. 
Members of the Nashville Police Department’s SWAT team acting on a tip arrested Devaunte Hill at his home in Berkshire Place Apartments at 6.15am on Friday. 
21-year-old Hill was booked into the Davidson County Jail on charges of criminal homicide and assault causing bodily harm in connection with the December 3 killing of 26-year-old Caitlyn Kaufman. He was being held without bond. 
Metro Police Chief John Drake said at a press conference announcing Hill’s arrest that the suspect made statements to detectives that implicated him in Kaufman’s murder. 

Kaufman, 26, was on her way to work on December 3 when she was struck by gunfire in her car and died moments later.
Kaufman was on her way to her night shift at St Thomas West Hospital in Nashville a week ago when her car was struck by gunfire, killing her almost instantly.  Police said they do not believe Hill knew Kaufman prior to the shooting.
A break in the case came on Thursday evening, when a concerned citizen contacted the authorities and identified Hill as a suspect in the killing. The caller also provided information that led detectives to a 9mm handgun believed to be the murder weapon. 

Ballistics experts analyzed the gun and found that it was a ‘100 per cent match’ to the shell casings that were recovered on Interstate 440 after Kaufman’s death. 
Investigators used Hill’s cellphone data to place him in the vicinity of the crime scene, according to police. 
Authorities noted that the tip that resulted in Hill’s arrest came within an hour of an announcement that the reward for information in this case had been increased to $65,000. 

Speaking to The Tennessean from her home in Pennsylvania, Diane Kaufman’s expressed relief that the person who killed her daughter had been arrested. 
‘A part of me is so relieved they got him,’ she said.
‘I just get chills every time I think about it.’ 
Records indicate that Hill has a prior criminal history in Tennessee dating back to at least 2018, which includes charges of assault causing bodily injury, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on a suspended license, according to a WKRN report. 

Homicide detective Chris Dickerson previously said six shots were fired at Kaufman’s grey Mazda CX5 SUV on Interstate 440 west on the evening of December 3 and she was killed within 15 seconds of being struck by a bullet that entered her left shoulder. 
He added: ‘Caitlyn didn’t have time to get to her cellphone to call 911.’
The ICU nurse managed to pull her grey Mazda CX5 SUV over to the side of the road on Interstate 440 west. Police approached her car around 8.25pm after finding it on the hard shoulder and called for back-up

Caitlyn Kaufman was fatally shot on December 3, on her way to work in the ICU at St. Thomas West Hospital in Nashville.
She had been due to start her shift at 7pm on Thursday and was believed to have been on time, leading Nashville Police to estimate the time of the attack to between 6pm and 6.30pm
Kaufman had been due to start her shift at 7pm on December 3 and was believed to have been on time, leading Nashville Police to estimate the time of the attack to between 6pm and 6.30pm.

After being shot, Kaufman managed to pull her SUV over on the right shoulder of the road against the guard rail between the Hillsboro Pike and West End Avenue exits. 
A Metro Parks officer stopped around 8.25pm to investigate why her vehicle was parked on the right shoulder of Interstate 440, believing it was a single-car crash.     
Her mom Diane said Monday: ‘Why did you do this to her? She didn’t deserve it. 
‘I can’t wrap my head around it. I don’t know how someone can take another person’s life like that. She was on her way to work. It wasn’t like she was doing anything maliciously.’      

After being shot, Kaufman managed to pull her SUV over on the right shoulder of the road against the guard rail between the Hillsboro Pike and West End Avenue exits.
A Metro Parks officer stopped around 8.25pm to investigate why her vehicle was parked on the right shoulder of Interstate 440, believing it was a single-car crash.
While no other suspects have been named in the case, investigators had not ruled out the possibility of more suspects or arrests, homicide Detective Dickerson told reporters Friday morning.
Nashville police Chief John Drake mentioned that the reward for information growing to over $65,000 may have helped encourage people to report tips.
“I understand many of the persons involved in the rewards are dads who have families in Nashville and love Nashville deeply, and I thank them for their contribution,” Drake said

Colleagues at Ascension Saint Thomas paid tribute to Caitlyn as a ‘courageous healthcare hero’ during the pandemic and ‘a dedicated and much-loved member of our [Medical Intensive Care Unit] MICU team…who was graciously called to serve our patients with compassion and kindness.’ 
A GoFundMe to help Caitlyn’s family has raised more than $$40,000 as of Saturday morning.  

Saint Thomas West Hospital released a statement after learning of Hill being charged.
“We are hopeful that justice for Caitlyn’s family will be served following the announcement that a suspect has been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation.
“Those who knew Caitlyn Kaufman witnessed the overwhelming compassion and kindness she showed for each person she cared for and worked alongside,” the statement reads.