The parking lot outside Dolly Parton’s Stampede in Pigeon Forge turned into a scene of shock and confusion Saturday night when a young man’s life was suddenly cut short. What should have been a lively evening in one of Tennessee’s busiest tourist spots instead ended in tragedy, leaving families and visitors shaken.
Police say 22-year-old Jacob Inselmann was fatally shot while inside a vehicle parked near the popular dinner attraction. Officers rushed to the scene around 7:35 p.m. after a 911 call reported a gunshot. When they arrived, they found Inselmann and another man sitting inside the car, the situation already critical.
Investigators quickly learned that the gunshot came from inside the vehicle. According to authorities, the other man present admitted he had been holding a handgun when it suddenly went off, striking Inselmann. The exact moments leading up to that discharge remain unclear, adding to the weight of unanswered questions surrounding the case.
Emergency crews moved fast, transporting Inselmann to LeConte Medical Center in a desperate attempt to save him. Despite those efforts, he was later pronounced dead. The loss hit hard, especially given his young age and the sudden, unexpected nature of the incident.
Police have since charged 24-year-old Evan Cogdill, who is from Illinois, with criminally negligent homicide. Officials say the charge reflects a situation where a death occurred due to careless handling of a firearm, though investigators are still working to fully understand what happened inside that car.
The shooting unfolded in a packed tourist corridor, a place usually filled with laughter, music, and long lines of families waiting for a show. For a brief time, flashing lights and police tape replaced that atmosphere, as officers secured the area and began gathering evidence.
Authorities have remained tight-lipped about additional details, noting that the case is still active. Detectives are reviewing witness statements and piecing together the timeline, while urging anyone who saw or heard something to come forward. For now, the focus remains on understanding how a single moment turned deadly in such a public space.
