A racist influencer known for hurling slurs at black people and trying to provoke a response from them opened fire outside of a courthouse on Wednesday, injuring one person and accidentally shooting himself.

Dalton Eatherly, 28, known online as 'Chud the Builder,' was at the Montgomery County Courts Center in Tennessee for a civil case in which he is being sued by Midland Credit Management Inc when he started shooting at around 1.15pm, Clarksville Now reports.

One witness at the scene told the outlet that a man punched Eatherly, while another said Eatherly fired three to four shots, allegedly shooting both the victim and himself in the arm.

The provocateur, who describes himself as a 'free speech patriot' and a 'comedian,' was livestreaming at the time of the incident and remained online as he spoke with emergency personnel in the aftermath.

He claimed that he was jumped outside of the courthouse and opened fire in self-defense, according to TMZ. 

Eatherly said he was walking past a man who, among others were, 'laughing' and 'pointing at me.'

When he then approached them, Eatherly said the unidentified man told him to walk away - but quickly turned back to him, saying, 'I have PTSD.'

'He said, "You start saying all that 'chimp out' s**t to me and I'mma hit you," and he hit me, he started whaling on me,' Eatherly said in the video. He has referred to black people as 'chimps' in his videos.

Eatherly, who is now in police custody, was taken to Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital by ambulance for treatment. The unnamed victim was flown by helicopter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, where he was listed in stable condition.

Meanwhile, the courthouse was locked down.

'Thanks to the quick actions of our courthouse deputies, this situation was likely kept from becoming much worse,' Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson said in a statement.

'Their dedication to keeping the courthouse safe was clearly demonstrated today.'

The District Attorney's Office said it is still reviewing the facts of the case to determine formal charges.

But the shooting comes less than one week after Eatherly made threatening posts.

'I will defend my life with lethal force. Do not approach me with intent to threaten bodily harm,' he posted to his Chud The Builder X account on May 7.

Another post read: 'Series finale is dead chimp on the pavement and you monkeys rioting when I walk free. Stay tuned.'

A video he posted to X last week also showed Eatherly spraying what appeared to be a chemical agent at a black man and repeatedly calling him the N-word after the man knocked the hat off his head. 

Eatherly has faced legal problems in the past as he made a name for himself by challenging black people to a fight.

During one confrontation in November, Eatherly claimed he was with the Clarksville Police Department - which the department later refuted.

'We want to make it clear that this type of behavior is not condoned, and the individual seen in the video is not affiliated with the Clarksville Police Department in any capacity,' it wrote on Facebook.

Eatherly was then arrested on November 18 on a harassment charge. That case has since been sent to a grand jury.

He was also arrested on Saturday, when police claim he refused repeated requests to stop filming diners at Bob's Steak and Chop House in Nashville.

Prosecutors in that case claim that when restaurant staff told him to stop livestreaming, Eatherly became 'disruptive and started making racial statements, yelling and screaming,' causing a disturbance, according to an affidavit obtained by CNN.

Eatherly then allegedly stated, 'I’m not paying if you are kicking me out,' as he refused to pay for his meal costing $371.55.

He was located walking down a street hours later and placed under arrest on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and theft of $1,000 or less

But Eatherly was later granted release on a $5,000 bond. He is now due back in court to face the charges on July 17.