On the evening of October 12, 2020, a 15-year-old Black male named Eric Key tragically lost his life in Cordova, Tennessee. The incident unfolded in the 8000 block of Arbor Bend Lane around 9:00 p.m. when Alfred Kirkham III, then 23 years old, confronted the teenager. Kirkham told responding officers that he had witnessed Key breaking into his vehicle and went to confront him.
During the encounter, Kirkham, who was armed, fired multiple shots at Key.
According to reports, Key was unarmed at the time of the shooting. He was struck several times and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later confirmed that no weapon was found on the teenager. A witness reported hearing the confrontation followed by several gunshots and then saw Kirkham standing over Key.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Alfred Kirkham III was taken into custody. He admitted to investigators that he never saw a weapon on Key but claimed he thought the teen was reaching for one. Subsequently, a grand jury indicted Kirkham on a charge of second-degree murder. He was later released from custody after posting a $150,000 bond. The case was assigned to an Assistant District Attorney as the legal proceedings began to address the untimely death of Eric Key.
