In Memphis, Tennessee, on the evening of May 16, 2021, a dispute inside a convenience store escalated into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of Christopher Nettles. The 36-year-old male was at Scootie's One Stop on Walker Avenue, near the University of Memphis, when the deadly encounter unfolded.
According to police reports, the incident began when Nettles allegedly attempted to leave the store with unpaid merchandise.
The son of the store's owner reportedly locked the door, preventing Nettles from exiting. At this point, Robert Buie, a security guard at the store, confronted Nettles.
Buie, who was 53 years old at the time, told authorities that he instructed Nettles to get on the ground. He claimed that Nettles continued to advance toward him. When Nettles was approximately four to six feet away, Buie fired his weapon, striking him. It was later determined that Nettles was unarmed at the time of the shooting. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he died about an hour later.
Following an investigation into the incident, Robert Buie was arrested and faced multiple charges. A Shelby County Grand Jury later indicted him on charges of second-degree murder, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. It was revealed that Buie had a prior felony conviction for burglary. In the wake of his death, Christopher Nettles's family filed a lawsuit against the store and its owners, alleging that Buie acted with recklessness, malice, and gross negligence. The lawsuit also claimed that the store owners should have been aware that Buie's prior felony conviction prohibited him from legally carrying a firearm.
