Memphis police arrest suspect accused of deadly shooting spree
Officials arrested 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly, who allegedly livestreamed his shooting spree on Facebook
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Ezekiel D. Kelly, the 19-year-old Memphis, Tennessee, man accused of live-streaming a series of shootings in outside the city Wednesday, has a violent criminal history and was released from prison early after a 2020 shooting, according to authorities.
He’s accused of killing four and wounding another three, in addition to a pair of armed carjackings. He allegedly streamed portions of the rampage on Facebook. Those videos have since been taken down.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland revealed during a Wednesday night news briefing that Kelly was charged with attempted first-degree murder but pleaded guilty to a downgraded aggravated assault charge in April 2021.
Kelly received a three-year prison sentence but was released in March after serving just 11 months.
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The booking photo of Ezekiel Kelly, 19, who is accused of going on a shooting rampage and killing four people in Memphis on Wednesday. (Memphis Police Department)
"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.
Kelly’s prior criminal record also includes allegations of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and firearms charges. He was charged with first-degree murder on Wednesday after allegedly shooting a man in front of three witnesses.
An image of Memphis shooting suspect Ezekiel D. Kelly after his arrest. (Provided by FOX 13 Memphis)
Police said the witnesses, who positively identified Kelly from a six-person lineup, were friends with both the suspect and the victim — identified as Dewayne Turnstall.
Paramedics pronounced Turnstall dead at the scene around 1 p.m. Wednesday, about three hours before shooting spree.
The attacks horrified the community for hours, beginning around — until Kelly allegedly crashed a stolen car and police arrested him.
Police released shocking updates throughout the chaos, revealing each new vehicle the suspect was alleged to have stolen and details about areas where he may have been at the time.
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Shooting suspect Ezekiel Kelly was charged with attempted first-degree murder but pled guilty to a downgraded aggravated assault charge in April 2021. (Brad Vest/Getty Images)
The first slaying happened early Wednesday, where police said they found a man dead.
Police urged residents to shelter in place and remain indoors after 7 p.m., hours into the series of attacks.
At one Memphis restaurant, the manager lowered the window shades and warned patrons of an active shooter around 8 p.m.
The Memphis Police Department released an image of a suspect it says is linked to a series of shootings in the city. (Memphis Police Department)
"If you hear gunshots or anything like that, we’re asking everyone to head to the back away from the windows," he said.
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Police found a woman dead with gunshot wounds around 8 p.m. Minutes later, officers responded to a carjacking involving an uninjured victim.
Officers spotted Kelly, who allegedly led them on a high-speed chase, crashed, and was placed under arrest.
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
