In a tragic turn of events on a Monday afternoon, Chris Kerry McCrimmon, a 21-year-old Black male, lost his life in what police described as a robbery gone wrong. The incident unfolded around 1 p.m. on March 21, 2022, in the parking lot of an IKEA store in Tempe, Arizona. McCrimmon, a student who had moved to Arizona from Michigan two years prior, had arranged to meet with two individuals for what was reported to be a marijuana transaction.
The meeting, however, quickly escalated into a
violent confrontation. During the course of the interaction with 18-year-old Isaiah Williams and a 17-year-old accomplice, later identified as Saif Woods, a physical altercation broke out. It was during this struggle that a firearm was discharged, and McCrimmon was fatally wounded. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
Following the shooting, Williams and Woods fled the scene in a vehicle. With the help of witness statements, law enforcement authorities were able to track down and apprehend the two suspects near Maricopa. Both individuals were subsequently charged with first-degree murder and aggravated robbery. Investigators believe the motive behind the deadly encounter was a planned robbery of McCrimmon by the suspects, allegedly in retaliation for a previous dispute.
