Affidavit details second kicker in fatal Davidson County bar fight

Metro Nashville police have released an arrest affidavit revealing that a second individual kicked Torey Ward during a physical altercation outside a downtown bar. The new document provides specific details about the sequence of events that led to Ward's death. It also outlines the statements made by witnesses and the evidence reviewed by investigators.

The affidavit describes footage obtained from nearby businesses and an anonymous provider. The video shows King and Ward facing each other before King threw the first punch. King struck Ward in the face and then placed him in a headlock. While King maintained the hold, another person kicked Ward multiple times. The affidavit notes that several bystanders verbally urged King to release Ward, and Ward's girlfriend attempted to pull King away.

King, 37, was arrested on November 6 on a criminal homicide warrant. He was held in connection with the death of Ward, 45. The original confrontation occurred on October 25 outside Big Shotz on 2nd Avenue North. Officers arrived at the scene at approximately 2:28 a.m. to find a crowd surrounding Ward, who had lost consciousness. Paramedics and a police rescue task force performed CPR before transporting Ward to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died.

Investigators interviewed bar employees, Ward's acquaintances, and his girlfriend to reconstruct the timeline. The affidavit states that the encounter began inside the establishment after King approached Ward's girlfriend. Ward struck King in the chest several times with an open palm, which escalated into a verbal argument. Bar staff asked the groups to leave, and the men moved outside where the physical fight began.

King previously told police that he acted out of fear for his own safety. Ward's girlfriend reported that she tried to intervene during the outdoor fight but was injured by an unidentified woman in King's group. The police news release from October 25 confirmed that the girlfriend saw Ward hit King inside the bar before the two went outside.

The affidavit lists October 26 as the offense date, a discrepancy with the narrative within the same document and the earlier police release. Both the detailed narrative and the official announcement confirm the fight took place on October 25. The new details clarify the role of the second individual in the sequence of strikes that preceded Ward's loss of consciousness.

Detectives continue to process the footage and witness accounts as part of the criminal homicide investigation. The release of the affidavit marks the first public disclosure of the specific actions taken by the second person involved in the scuffle.