On what was supposed to be a routine family Sunday dinner in Memphis, Tennessee, 25-year-old Noah D. Collins lost his life in a burst of gunfire on January 28, 2024. The gathering turned tragic when a man opened fire, killing Noah and his 19-year-old relative, DeVondre S. Collins, and injuring two other people. The violent outburst occurred at the Stella Apartments in northeast Memphis, shattering the peace of a family meal.
According to family members, the event was not a party, but a
Sunday dinner cooked by Noah's girlfriend. She had invited her cousin over, who in turn brought a man named Dartagnan Lee. An argument or altercation did not precede the shooting. The scene was one of domestic normalcy, with the mother of one of the victims, her 2-year-old grandson, and her younger children also present in the house. DeVondre had reportedly just come over to his older brother's house to get a haircut when the shooting began.
In the aftermath of the deadly shooting, police arrested Dartagnan Lee. He was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. During a court hearing, prosecutors stated that Lee fired 31 rounds, presenting a significant danger to the community. His bond was set at $1 million.
The family of Noah and DeVondre Collins expressed their profound grief and shock, stating that Lee should have been held without bond. They recounted the harrowing moments of the attack, with one family member describing how the younger victim ran out of the house, only to be chased and shot in the head. Lee's attorney countered that there was more to the story and characterized his client as shy and nervous, requesting protective custody due to threats from individuals connected to the victims.
