Juan Buitrago, and Andy Humbles

The Tennessean

A Nashville police officer is expected to recover after he was hit by a shotgun blast in the shoulder Tuesday morning responding to a call at a motel on Trinity Lane.

Officer Terrance McBride, 28, was scheduled to have surgery Tuesday, but doctors expect the three-year veteran to make a full recovery, according to Metro Police Department spokesman Don Aaron.

The alleged gunman was identified as Paul Hardesty, 43.

Hardesty was found dead in the motel room bathtub with a shotgun wound to the head, which police believe was self-inflicted. Police say Hardesty was a parolee from New York whose parole supervision was transferred to Tennessee earlier this year.

McBride and Officer Ky Luu, 29, went to the motel after police were called shortly after 5 a.m., by a citizen who stated a man in room 104 may be wanted on outstanding warrants and had talked about committing a robbery, Aaron said.

The officers knocked on the motel room door, which was opened by a female who admitted to being a heroin user and appeared to be under the influence of drugs with drug paraphernalia visible, police said.

The woman denied anyone else was with her in the room "in a very suspicious manner," when asked by the officers according to Aaron.

McBride walked toward the bathroom, spotted Hardesty, and yelled for the suspect to show his hands, police said. A shotgun blast came from inside the bathroom and hit McBride, police said.

Luu shot his weapon as cover fire so McBride could retreat and both officers were able to exit the room.

“It was so loud I could hear the vibrations coming through the floor,” said Ronnie Patrick, who was staying at the motel in a nearby room.

Luu heard another shotgun blast after the officers left the room, Aaron said.

Police tried to make contact with the suspect after the officers were out of the room, but there was never a response.

Hardesty was found dead by police after a robot first searched the room. Hardesty was clutching a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun when his body was found, according to police.

Hardesty's last known Tennessee address was in Robertson County, police said.

The woman in the room fled on foot during the gunfire and was not immediately in custody.

Luu, also a three-year veteran, was not injured and is on routine administrative assignment pending the preliminary investigation into the shooting. The assignment includes looking at Hardesty's background and recent actitivies.

Trinity Lane was closed from Interstate 65 to Dickerson Pike shortly after the call until opening again around 8:30 a.m., , with dozens of police vehicles on the scene,

Reach Andy Humbles at 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.