Controversial livestreamer Dalton Eatherly, known online as "Chud the Builder," has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after a confrontation outside a Tennessee courthouse escalated into gunfire that left two men injured, authorities said.
Eatherly, 28, was taken into custody on Wednesday outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville after an altercation with another man led to shots being fired, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee District Attorney General's Office.
Officials said the dispute occurred in front of the courthouse complex at Millennium Plaza, but they have not released a detailed timeline or said who fired first. Both Eatherly and the other man were wounded in the exchange and taken for medical treatment, and the second man has not been publicly identified, according to the New York Times.
Investigators say Eatherly is facing multiple charges, including criminal attempt to commit murder, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.
Authorities allege he fired a handgun during the confrontation outside the courthouse, though they have not publicly described the full sequence of events captured on video or by witnesses. He remains in custody at the Montgomery County Jail pending a court appearance where a judge will consider bond.
On the Sunday before the Clarksville shooting, Eatherly was arrested in Nashville in a separate incident at Bob's Steak & Chop House, according to a police affidavit cited by multiple outlets. The affidavit states that he streamed himself during a meal after staff had previously told him not to record inside the restaurant.
Read more: Gunman Fire 50 Shots Along Cambridge's Memorial Drive, Victims Suffer Life-Threatening Injuries
When employees confronted him, he allegedly began yelling, making racially charged remarks, and causing a disturbance that affected other diners. He then refused to pay a bill of about $370 and was charged with theft of services, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest before being released on a $5,000 bond.
Law enforcement agencies and court records describe Eatherly as a streamer who has built his audience by filming aggressive real‑world encounters and using racially offensive language toward Black people and other minorities.
Reports and archived videos show him repeatedly using racial slurs, including during confrontations in public places, behavior that has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates and other online personalities, SportsKeeda reported.
He was previously suspended and then banned from the streaming platform Kick after footage surfaced of him harassing people on camera and refusing to stop filming when asked, according to coverage of the ban and his own posts.
After Wednesday's shooting, investigators said they are reviewing physical evidence, surveillance footage around the courthouse, and any recordings linked to Eatherly's livestreaming activity.
Prosecutors have not said whether the Nashville restaurant case or his prior online conduct will play a role in the attempted murder prosecution, but they confirmed the Clarksville investigation is ongoing and additional charges remain possible, as per NewsChannel9.
