In the spring of 2016, the life of a young Memphis man, Charles Edward Thompson Jr., was cut tragically short. An African American male, he was 29 years old at the time of his death. The events that led to his untimely passing unfolded on the night of Tuesday, March 22, 2016, in North Memphis.
That evening, in the 900 block of Avalon and Vollintine, Thompson was with another man, Darick Lane.
According to police reports, the two were involved in a violent altercation, firing shots at a vehicle occupied by two other men. It was in the midst of this chaotic exchange of gunfire that Thompson was struck. Tragically, the fatal shot did not come from their intended targets.
Investigations into the incident revealed a grim twist: police determined that Darick Lane had accidentally shot his accomplice, Charles Thompson Jr., in the back of the head during the shootout. Thompson succumbed to his injuries, his death marking another sad chapter in the city's history of gun violence.
In the aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement officials moved swiftly. Darick Lane was taken into custody and faced a number of serious charges, including second-degree murder and attempted murder, for his role in the events that led to Thompson's death. He was subsequently held on a $3 million bond.
