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“If Mr. Kelly served his full three-year sentence, he would still be in prison today and four of our fellow citizens would still be alive,” Strickland said.
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Police stated that the deadly shooting of a guy who gunman Ezekiel Kelly had been conversing with in front of mutual acquaintances marked the beginning of a killing spree that left four people dead and three injured in Memphis.
The 19-year-old gunman’s shooting spree began on Wednesday about 1 a.m. and ended at 9:30 p.m. when Kelly was apprehended after leading police on a chase from Mississippi to Memphis.
According to police, Kelly broadcast a chunk of the deadly rampage live on Facebook.
Although the majority of the victims have not yet been given formal names, family members have recognised Rodolfo Berger as one of the injured and 17-year-old Corteria Wright as one of the deceased on social media.
Dewayne Tunstall, 24, was found dead at a private residence on Lyndale Avenue, according to station WREG. This is where the mayhem started.
According to the police, Kelly approached Tunstall to have a conversation with him when they were out with a group of people they had in common.
Kelly allegedly shot Tunstall multiple times in the head during the talk in front of five additional witnesses who were uninjured. What precipitated the shooting is unknown.
Then, at 4:38 p.m., Kelly, a dangerous criminal with a history of killing people, is accused of shooting and killing a guy who was sitting in his car on South Parkway East.
Kelly allegedly shot at a woman two minutes later, striking her in the leg near Norris Road and Interstate 240.
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Kelly promised his online followers that he wasn’t “faking” and that it was “genuine s-t” as he livestreamed himself entering an AutoZone store on Jackson Avenue and killing a man inside twice.
The victim, who was hospitalized in critical condition, was identified by his daughter as Rodolfo Berger.
“Today my dad was a victim of a senseless act of violence,” Jenny Berger wrote on her Facebook page. “He was in an autozone in Memphis, TN minding his own business and someone came in and shot him while they were going live on Facebook. I’m still thinking I’m going to wake up from this viral nightmare.”
The daughter said that although her father had surgery, he will need another procedure in a few days.
Kelly allegedly carjacked and shot a woman at Poplar Avenue and Evergreen Street after Memphis police issued a public advisory cautioning residents to be on the lookout for Kelly. He then switched automobiles.
The Toyota SUV’s owner passed away at the site from her wounds. Allison Parker, a nurse, was confirmed as her on Thursday by city officials and her job.
Parker was reportedly with her daughter when she was killed. Parker was a medical assistant at the Family Practice Center of West Memphis.
Parker leaves behind her three children and her fiancé, according to a Facebook post by a lady identifying herself as a close friend of Parker’s.
“She was the most beautiful and selfless person I’ve ever had the honor of calling a friend,” Taylor Linsky-Perez wrote. “This woman loved her children more than anything in this world – and right next to them was her fiancé.”
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Friday night will see a citywide prayer vigil in Parker’s honour, West Memphis Police and Mayor Marco McClendon have said.
At the same site, a male shooting victim was also found, and he was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
At 8:55 p.m. Police discovered a woman on West Raines Road with fatal gunshot wounds.
Following his daughter Corteria Wright’s murder, a man posing as the victim’s father posted an emotional video to Facebook.
“My baby just turned 17. Please stop the violence,” Corterian Wright says through heart-rending sobs. “I’m begging ya’ll, please stop the violence.”
A short while later, authorities discovered the stolen Dodge and began pursuing it at great speed. After Kelly crashed the vehicle, the chase came to an end back in Memphis.
According to available information, Kelly was detained in June 2020 on suspicion of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and attempted first-degree murder.
According to Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, the man received a three-year sentence but was released on March 16 after serving just 11 months.
The courts were criticised by the mayor for Kelly’s early release, which hasn’t been addressed yet.
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