Man beaten with AR-style gun in Kroger parking lot, suspect still at large

The suspect hit the man in the head multiple times with the gun, jumped into a car, and drove away.
The man beaten said the attack happened in just seconds, he shared how the attacker got away.
The man beaten said the attack happened in just seconds, he shared how the attacker got away.(WSMV4)
Published: Mar. 20, 2025 at 9:33 PM CDT|Updated: Mar. 21, 2025 at 4:57 AM CDT
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A South Nashville man said he was attacked while loading up his groceries and his attacker is still out there.

Vinko Barukcic said on Sunday evening he stopped into the Kroger on East Thompson Lane.

“I just finished shopping and checking out at the register,” Barukcic said.

The suspect hit Vinko Barukcic in the head multiple times with the gun, jumped into a car and drove away.

Barukcic said he was heading to his car to start loading up groceries into his trunk, when someone came up behind him.

“The guy came up out of nowhere,” Barukcic said.

The man was wearing a ski mask and holding an AR-style gun.

“He asked me for my wallet, credit card, everything, but I told him I don’t have a wallet,” Barukcic said.

And within seconds Barukcic said the man lifted his gun, but he didn’t shoot it.

“Next thing I noticed he hit here,” Barukcic said.

The man hit Barukcic in the head multiple times with the gun, jumped into a car and drove away.

Metro Police said Kroger employees called 911. When officers got on scene, they discovered surveillance videos only caught the man driving away.

“I felt really bad. I’ve fought in a war, but I had a gun during war, in this situation, I had nothing to protect myself,” Barukcic said.

Barukcic said just a few weeks before he was attacked, he heard another man was also robbed in this same parking lot. Police said they’re looking into that.

“I wasn’t ready, I didn’t think about something like this happening, I just came for shopping,” Barukcic said.

Metro Police said they’re searching for the man and the silver sedan he drove off in.