Local woman among victims of Memphis mass shooter

Suspect in custody, community planning prayer service this evening in wake of recent violence

ralphhardin@gmail.com Memphis, Tennessee has a reputation for violent crime an on Wednesday, the city’s propensity for violence bled over into Crittenden County.

Four people were killed when 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly allegedly went on a random shooting spree across Memphis. Three other shooting victims were also injured.

Police said Kelly was taken into custody in the area of Ivan Road and Hodge Road in Whitehaven but not before the entire Mid-South spent hours gripped in terror as rumors of Kelly’s whereabouts circulated.

Memphis Police first warned people in Memphis to be on the lookout for Kelly at 7 p.m. after a citizen alerted them of a Facebook Live that showed him shooting people at random Wednesday. Kelly had started his shooting rampage well before 7 p.m..

Kelly killed his first victim in an overnight shooting on Lyndale Ave. at 12:56 a.m., and after taking a lengthy break, he began what police are calling a “mobile mass shooting” around 4:30 p.m.

According to court records, there was already an active arrest warrant out for Kelly Wednesday morning after he killed a 24-year-old man on Lyndale Ave. One of his victims was a local woman, Allison Parker, of West Memphis, a nurse for Dr.

Trent Pierce’s family medicine office in West Memphis.

Timeline of ‘Mobile Mass Shooting’

12:56 a.m. — MPD said police responded to a shooting in the 3100 block of Lyndale Avenue in North Memphis. One person, a 24-year-old man, was pronounced dead.

Five other people were present at the time of the shooting, but they were not injured, MPD said.

Memphis Police later linked this shooting to Ezekiel Kelly's alleged shooting spree.

4:38 p.m. — MPD said officers responded to a shooting in the 900 block of South Parkway East.

MPD originally reported this shooting was on East Parkway South, but later corrected it to South Parkway East. One man was pronounced dead at the scene.

4:40 p.m. — Police responded to a shooting at I-240 at Norris Road where a woman was shot in the leg. She was transported to Regional One in non-critical condition, MPD said.

5:59 p.m. — Police responded to an AutoZone store in the 4000 block of Jackson Avenue in North Memphis where a man was shot in the abdomen.

According to MPD, he was transported to Regional One, and he remains in critical condition.

This shooting was broadcast live on a Facebook Live stream on a page named Zeek Huncho, believed to be Ezekiel Kelly's profile, which has since been deleted.

6:12 p.m. — A citizen notified police of Kelly's alleged Facebook Live live that was streamed from the page by the name of 'Zeek Huncho', making them aware that Kelly was at large, armed and dangerous, MPD said. After MPD was made aware of the Facebook Live, they were able to connect the series of shootings and multiple crime scenes and activate an allposts bulletin response.

7:00 p.m. — Police made citizens aware that there was a mobile mass shooter on the loose who was responsible for multiple shooting across Memphis.

MPD gave a description of the vehicle Kelly was said to be driving, and told people to be on the lookout.

7:23 p.m. — Police responded to a woman shot on Poplar Avenue and Evergreen Street. The woman who was shot died after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.

MPD said the suspect carjacked the woman, taking her grey Toyota SUV.

7:24 p.m. — Police responded to a shooting at Poplar Avenue and North McLean Boulevard, MPD said. One man was transported to the hospital in non-critical condition.

7:30 p.m. — The University of Memphis went on lockdown around 7:30 p.m. in response to a shooting at Patterson and Southern Avenue, feet from the university campus.

The university said there were shots fired near Patterson and Southern, but there was no threat at the university.

Campus Police said they were working with MPD on an 'active shooter situation,' referencing the mobile mass shooting.

8:40 p.m. — AutoZone Park goes on lockdown

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Photos courtesy of WMPD SHOOTER (cont.)

during Memphis Redbirds game around 8:40 p.m., in response to public danger, citing the mobile mass shooting. Players were ushered off the field and fans took refuge in the press box. AutoZone Park and the Memphis Redbirds suspended their game after the stadium was forced to go on lockdown.

— In lieu of the danger announced by MPD regarding an active shooter in the Memphis area, MATA's trolley and bus services were suspended indefinitely.

The Memphis Area Transit Authority resumed trolley and bus service for one final run. Service resumed as scheduled Thursday morning.

MPD responded to a shooting at the 800 block of West Raines Road in Whitehaven.

One woman was pronounced dead at the scene, MPD said.

Southaven Police reported a carjacking at a Raceway gas station on Stateline Road near I-55, SHPD said.

A grey Dodge Challenger was taken. A driver recognized a man believed to be Kelly and fled the scene.

That driver was not injured.

— Memphis Police started a high-speed chase northbound on I-55 near Stateline Road that ended near Hodge Road and Ivan Road in Whitehaven.

Police surrounded the car and waited for tactical units to arrive. MPD issued a

9:21 p.m.

— MPD took Kelly into custody without further incident. Police lifted the shelter-in-place order at Hodge and Ivan.

During the manhunt, several rumors began to circulate, including the possibility of Kelly having driven into Crittenden County before returning to Tennessee. Several news outlets on both sides of the river issued alerts.

The City of West Memphis posted on all of its social media outlets that there was no public threat stemming from Kelly’s rampage.

Following the news of Parker’s murder, an already-planned community prayer service was mov ed from noon today to 5:30 p.m. in hopes of encouraging greater participation.

“Due to last night's events, we are changing the time of our prayer,” said city communications coordinator Nick Coulter. “The tragedy in Memphis affected our community as well.

Allison Parker, a nurse for Dr. Trent Pierce was a victim of this tragic violence.

Please keep her friends, family and co-workers in your prayers. Join us, along with Mayor McClendon, tomorrow at City Hall at 5:30 p.m. as we continue to pray for our city and our nation.

No motive for the violence has been released by investigators at this time. Kelly is currently in police custody in Memphis awaiting charges.