On a summer night in Madison, Tennessee, a verbal dispute inside an Exxon Tiger Mart would tragically escalate, ending the life of 34-year-old Justin Sturgis. The male victim was at the gas station on Gallatin Pike near Emmitt Avenue on June 5, 2020, when he became involved in an argument with another man, later identified as 24-year-old Azon Smith.
The disagreement reportedly began because Sturgis felt Smith was looking at him in a way he did not like.
The confrontation spilled out into the parking lot. Sturgis, who had allegedly made verbal threats towards Smith and his girlfriend, a clerk at the store, reportedly displayed a firearm as he left the Exxon. After initially leaving, Sturgis returned to the parking lot in his vehicle. As he was attempting to drive away a second time, Smith fired multiple shots into Sturgis's car, striking him several times. Emergency services transported Sturgis to Skyline Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Initially, Azon Smith claimed that he had acted in self-defense. He told investigators that he perceived Sturgis to be reaching for his own weapon. However, surveillance footage from the gas station contradicted Smith's account of the events. Based on the investigation, which included the video evidence, authorities determined that the shooting was not an act of self-defense. Subsequently, Azon Smith was arrested and charged with criminal homicide for the death of Justin Sturgis.
