Man charged in daylong Memphis shooting rampage is no longer serving as his own lawyer

Ezekiel Kelly, a 22-year-old Tennessee man facing the death penalty for a series of shootings in September 2022 that left three people dead and several others injured, has decided against representing himself in court. He made a brief appearance in front of a judge alongside a court-appointed lawyer, reversing his earlier request to act as his own counsel. The case, which garnered significant attention due to its livestreaming on social media, led to a citywide shelter-in-place order and an urgent manhunt.

Kelly has been charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree murder for the deaths of Dewayne Tunstall, Richard Clark, and Allison Parker, as well as attempted murder and reckless endangerment. Prosecutors have indicated their intention to pursue the death penalty if he is convicted of first-degree murder. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to over two dozen charges related to the violent incidents.

The events unfolded on September 7, 2022, when witnesses reported seeing Kelly shoot Tunstall during a gathering at a home around 1 a.m. The shootings continued throughout the day, with Clark and Parker also becoming victims later. The police have stated that the motive for the shootings remains unclear, yet they resulted in significant chaos, including the shutdown of public transportation and lockdowns of college campuses.

In addition to the fatalities, three other individuals were wounded in the shootings that occurred in various locations across Memphis. Kelly was eventually apprehended after he carjacked vehicles and crashed a stolen car while attempting to evade law enforcement.

Parker was remembered as a dedicated mother of three and a medical assistant, while Clark served as a campus safety officer at Christian Brothers University following a career in corrections. The court has scheduled Kelly’s trial for July 14, during which the details of the case will be further examined.