In the early hours of a Tuesday in Memphis, Tennessee, a domestic dispute escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 23-year-old Darneshah Qualls. On September 13, 2016, a man entered a residence on Sun Ridge Cove armed with a rifle and began menacing the occupants.
As the armed man, identified as 22-year-old Kadarrin Johnson, pointed the weapon at people inside the home, Qualls and another individual bravely attempted to de-escalate the volatile situation.
They approached Johnson, trying to calm him down, but their efforts were met with gunfire. Johnson opened fire, and Qualls was fatally wounded. Even after she was shot, the gunman continued to fire his weapon, though two other people in the house managed to escape without injury.
Memphis police were called to the scene and, according to reports, had to use pepper spray to subdue and arrest Johnson. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the death of Darneshah Qualls, who was the mother of his child. Additionally, Johnson faced charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and using a firearm during a felony. He was booked into the Shelby County Jail.
