On a cold New Year's Day in 2017, the life of 18-year-old Kiara Tatum, a promising LeMoyne-Owen College student with dreams of becoming a nurse, was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence in Memphis, Tennessee. Her death marked the city's first homicide of the year, a somber beginning to the new year for the community and a devastating loss for her family.
In the early evening, Kiara was with a group of people in the Parkway Village neighborhood when two individuals exited a
vehicle and unleashed a hail of gunfire into the crowd. In the chaos that ensued, Kiara was struck. The shooters fled the scene, leaving behind a scene of panic and heartbreak.
The Memphis Police Department quickly launched an investigation, and within days, two suspects were in custody. The individuals identified and arrested were 22-year-old Devante Robinson and 17-year-old Jaylen Clayton. Both were charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and other felonies related to the shooting. In a significant legal step, the decision was made to charge Clayton as an adult due to the severity of the crime. The investigation revealed that at the time of the shooting, Robinson was already out on bond for a previous offense.
In November 2017, a grand jury indicted both Robinson and Clayton on the charges brought against them, moving their cases toward trial. The indictment marked a formal accusation by the state and was a crucial step in the legal process, bringing a glimmer of hope for justice to Kiara's grieving family. The community mourned the loss of a young woman on the cusp of her future, her aspirations of caring for others as a nurse tragically unfulfilled.
