Man Responsible For Memphis Shootings While On Facebook Live Is In Custody

A man who could be seen on Facebook Live shooting random people in Memphis has been arrested.

Police said the suspect, 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly, was taken into custody in the area of Ivan Road and Hodge Road.

According to Southaven police, he was captured after the owner of a Dodge Challenger–that Kelly had stolen at a Raceway gas station on Stateline Road–recognized him as the shooter. Police located the vehicle and captured Kelly around 9 p.m.

According to court records, there was an arrest warrant out for Kelly on charges of first-degree murder before the shooting spree happened.

WMC confirmed that Kelly has a criminal history that includes attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment. Those charges stem from an arrest in 2020.

According to Memphis mayor Jim Strickland, Kelly was also charged with criminal attempted first-degree murder but pleaded guilty in 2021 to the lesser charge of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 3 years but only served 11 months in prison and was released on March 16, 2022… less than 6 months before Wednesday’s shooting.

As for the shooting rampage, Memphis Police confirm that Kelly was connected to a shooting Wednesday afternoon at an AutoZone on Jackson near Wells.

Kelly claimed to have killed five people in a Facebook Live video. In the same video, he appears to walk into an AutoZone store, aimed a gun at a man and pulled the trigger.

WMC also reported that Kelly shot 7 people—killing 4.

Via WCM:

The first shooting happened in the early morning hours of Wednesday. A 24-year-old man was shot and killed on Lynndale Avenue.

The next shooting happened at 4:35 p.m. A man was found dead on E Parkway South after being shot multiple times.

One minute later, a shooting occurred at Norris Road and I-240 near the southbound ramp. A woman was shot in the leg and is in non-critical condition at the hospital.

The next shooting happened on Jackson Avenue at a business. Police say Kelly ran into the store and shot a man. That victim is in critical condition.

That’s when the citywide search was launched for Kelly.

Police across the city pursued Kelly for hours. Police in West Memphis and Southaven also assisted in the pursuit.

Three more shootings occurred before Kelly was captured:

• A woman was shot and carjacked at Poplar Avenue and Evergreen Street. She did not survive.
• A man was shot at Poplar Avenue and McLean. He was taken to the hospital in non-critical condition.
• A woman was shot and killed on West Raines Road.

Police haven’t released the identities of the victims as of Wednesday night. They also haven’t officially connected the shootings to Kelly.