Dushaundra Lee Ward, a 43-year-old mother of six, was tragically killed in an ambush-style shooting on the afternoon of Friday, June 3, 2022, in Memphis, Tennessee. Just a few weeks into her new job as a Lyft driver to support her family, she was answering a ride request that would fatally place her in the line of fire.
While driving in the Raleigh area, at the intersection of James Road and Austin Peay Highway, another vehicle pulled alongside her car at a traffic light.
Without warning, occupants of the other vehicle jumped out and began shooting into Dushaundra's car. The barrage of gunfire ended her life, and she was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
According to Dushaundra's brother, Willie Mitchell, the passengers in her vehicle were the intended targets of the attack. He recounted that his sister had been called to an address to pick up these individuals and was apparently followed by the assailants. After the shooting, the passengers reportedly fled from the scene.
Dushaundra was remembered by her family as the rock and the glue that held them together. A loving mother, her youngest child was only a year old at the time of her death. Her family expressed their profound grief and shock, stating that she was a family person who did not drink or smoke and was dedicated to her children.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Memphis police had not released any information regarding the passengers or any potential suspects, and no arrests had been made. Lyft, Inc. issued a statement expressing their heartbreak over the tragedy and pledged to assist law enforcement with their investigation.
