Violent Confrontation: Streamer’s Deadly Escalation

A social media streamer who built a following by hurling racial slurs and provoking confrontations now faces attempted murder charges after a shooting outside a Tennessee courthouse left another man hospitalized.

Quick Take

Dalton Eatherly, known online as “Chud the Builder,” charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment after shooting outside Montgomery County Courthouse on May 13, 2026.
Eatherly’s social media history shows a pattern of using racial slurs, issuing violent threats, and deliberately provoking confrontations for online engagement and monetization.
Victim Joshua Love, a disabled Army veteran, was shot in the stomach and shoulder and flown to Nashville for emergency treatment; Eatherly sustained a graze wound to his arm.
Pre-incident social media posts by Eatherly suggested anticipation of violence, including posts referencing “dead chimp on the pavement” and threats of lethal force.

Attempted Murder Charge Filed in Courthouse Shooting

Dalton Eatherly, age 28, has been charged with attempted murder, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon following a shooting at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville, Tennessee on May 13, 2026 . According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Eatherly opened fire during a confrontation in Millennium Plaza near the courthouse, striking another man multiple times. The victim was airlifted by helicopter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville and was reported in stable condition. Eatherly was treated for a graze wound to his arm and booked into Montgomery County Jail without bond pending arraignment.

The Builder era is over. 🤠🚫 Dalton Eatherly is in a cell for attempted murder. The cowboy hat in image.png is all that’s left. Get into $CHUDLESS before the arraignment! ⛓️ Akx3sMMEFGPDdkCmxLcmbKGJdTwsXBvZvNHgg9Xpump

#$CHUDLESS

— Chudless (@ChudlessCoin) May 14, 2026

Pattern of Racial Provocations and Online Threats

Court records and witness accounts reveal Eatherly had established a documented pattern of using racial slurs and deliberately provoking people, particularly Black individuals, to generate online engagement and monetization . In November 2025, Eatherly falsely claimed during at least one confrontation that he was affiliated with the Clarksville Police Department. He had been arrested previously on November 18, 2025, on harassment charges, and those charges were bound over to grand jury in April 2026. Just days before the courthouse shooting, Eatherly posted on social media: “Series finale is dead chimp on the pavement and you monkeys rioting when I walk free. Stay tuned” ^[1]. On May 7, 2026, he posted: “I will defend my life with lethal force. Do not approach me with intent to threaten bodily harm.”

Escalating Behavior and Prior Arrests

Eatherly’s criminal record expanded rapidly in the weeks preceding the courthouse incident. On May 10, 2026, he was arrested in Nashville on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and theft of $1,000 or less, according to Davidson County court records . Eatherly was scheduled to appear in General Sessions Court on May 13 as a defendant in a civil case brought by a debt collection agency. Instead of attending that hearing, he was involved in the shooting outside the courthouse that same day. The escalation from online harassment and prior arrests to armed confrontation underscores how his behavior had intensified despite legal intervention.

Post-Incident Social Media Posts Show Lack of Remorse

After the shooting, while his victim was undergoing emergency surgery, Eatherly posted on social media claiming self-defense and using dehumanizing language toward the injured man ^[2]. His post stated: “the chimp I shot in self-defense is in emergency surgery learning actions have consequences” and “Don’t chimp out if you can’t take the return fire.” These statements, made while the victim remained in critical condition, demonstrate Eatherly’s continued use of racial slurs and apparent absence of concern for the severity of his actions. The posts also contradict his self-defense narrative by revealing his mindset during the incident.

Victim Identified as Disabled Veteran

The man shot by Eatherly has been identified as Joshua Love, a disabled Army veteran and father of two children ^[1]. Love sustained gunshot wounds to his stomach and shoulder during the confrontation. His medical evacuation by helicopter and hospitalization at a major trauma center underscores the severity of his injuries. The fact that a decorated service member was targeted in what authorities describe as an unprovoked or escalated confrontation adds another troubling dimension to the case and raises questions about how Eatherly selected his target.

District Attorney Confirms Investigation Ongoing

District Attorney General Robert Nash confirmed that Eatherly was the shooter and stated that his office is reviewing the facts of the investigation to determine formal criminal charges . While charges have been filed, the District Attorney’s statement indicates that the investigation remains active. Law enforcement has not yet released the complete arrest affidavit, police incident reports, or forensic ballistics analysis that would provide fuller details on the sequence of events, the number of shots fired, or the specific evidence supporting the attempted murder charge beyond the social media posts and witness accounts.