Man Arrested After Assaulting Unconscious Woman in Front of Church

A horrifying crime has shaken Nashville after a woman died shortly after allegedly being raped on the front steps of a local church.

Police say Mohamed Mohamed, 39, has been charged with four counts of rape following the assault that took place outside a house of worship on Nolensville Pike in the city’s Woodbine neighborhood on the night of August 14.

According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, a Nashville Fire Department crew happened upon the scene just after 9:30 p.m. The crew reported seeing Mohamed attempting to pull the woman’s pants back up and immediately stopped to intervene.

Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage showing the victim, still unidentified, stumbling and appearing disoriented before sitting on the church steps. Mohamed allegedly approached her, sat beside her, and began touching her as she faded in and out of consciousness, trying to push him away. Police say he then carried her to the ground and sexually assaulted her multiple times.

The woman was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center but tragically died shortly after arriving. She had no identification with her, and officials are working to confirm her identity through fingerprint records. An autopsy is pending.

Mohamed was detained on the spot by the fire crew until police arrived and took him into custody. Authorities said he refused to be interviewed. A judicial commissioner set his bond at $300,000.

As of now, Mohamed remains in custody at the Davidson County Male Correctional Development Center. It has not yet been made public whether he has entered a plea or secured legal representation.

The investigation into the woman’s death and the circumstances of the alleged assault is ongoing.