In the early morning hours of June 19, 2024, a dispute in Tucson, Arizona, escalated to a fatal conclusion, claiming the life of 58-year-old Christopher Kershaw, a White male. The incident unfolded just after 5:30 a.m. in the 5300 block of East 5th Street, where Kershaw became embroiled in a verbal confrontation with an adult woman. The argument took a deadly turn when a male companion of the woman produced a firearm and shot Kershaw.
Emergency services, including officers from the
Tucson Police Department's Midtown Division and personnel from the Tucson Fire Department, were dispatched to the residence following reports of the shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Kershaw with evident signs of gunshot trauma. Despite their immediate efforts to render aid, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The female and male suspects had already fled in a vehicle before law enforcement arrived.
Investigators from the Tucson Police Department's Homicide Unit quickly began to piece together the events of that morning. Through interviews and processing the scene, they were able to identify the vehicle used by the suspects to escape. With assistance from the Midtown Community Response Team and the Tech Investigations Unit, detectives successfully identified the vehicle's license plate. This crucial piece of information led them to contact law enforcement agencies in Sierra Vista and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. It was discovered that the vehicle, along with a male and female matching the suspects' descriptions, had been involved in an unrelated incident in Bisbee.
Later that evening, the male suspect, identified as Jacob Patrick Netherby, was located in Cochise County, setting the stage for a dramatic and dangerous confrontation. When law enforcement attempted to stop Netherby, he initiated a high-speed pursuit along Naco Highway. During the chase, Netherby fired a weapon at the pursuing officers from the rear window of his vehicle. The pursuit ultimately ended when an officer returned fire, striking Netherby and causing him to lose control of his vehicle and crash. Netherby, who was the sole occupant, was taken to a Tucson hospital to be treated for his injuries. He has a significant criminal history that includes convictions for car theft, discharging a firearm, and aggravated assault. The investigation into Kershaw's death remains ongoing.
