In the late hours of a Sunday evening in Memphis, Tennessee, the life of 25-year-old Matthew Tariq Harper, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short. On September 11, 2022, Harper was fatally shot at the Stratum on Highland apartments located at 510 South Highland Street. When police responded to a call about the shooting, they found Harper inside an apartment, where he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting led Memphis Police to arrest
22-year-old Joshua Wilson, who was subsequently charged with second-degree murder. According to court documents, the events of that day began with a dispute over money and a failed 'scam' involving cashing pay stubs. A witness at the apartment complex reported hearing Harper arguing with another male about money. Later, a security guard observed a male with an AR-style rifle and others leaving the scene in a red sedan.
During legal proceedings, Marquisha Washington, in whose apartment the shooting occurred, testified that Harper had become angry, accusing someone of stealing his marijuana and threatening to overturn her room. Joshua Wilson, who had been staying at the apartment, claimed that he saw Harper reaching for a handgun and, believing his life was in danger, shot him. After the shooting, Wilson fled the scene but later turned himself in to the police. Wilson ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of tampering with evidence and was sentenced to supervised probation. The court noted that it only heard Wilson's side of the story and acknowledged the conflicting narratives of the events that transpired.
Matthew Tariq Harper's mother described her son as a selfless individual who was pursuing a business entertainment degree at Full Sail University and would provide care packages for the homeless. His death has been described as 'utterly devastating' by his family. Friends remember him as a talented and fun-spirited person who was involved in music and enjoyed skateboarding and photography. Services to celebrate his life were held in Memphis, where family and friends gathered to mourn their loss.
