On the night of March 29, 2023, a dispute that began inside the Prive restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee, spilled out into the parking lot, ending in a burst of gunfire that left two men dead and five others wounded. One of the men who lost his life was Larry Bailey, a 39-year-old Black male. The violence erupted around 11:15 p.m. in the 6900 block of Winchester Road after an altercation inside the restaurant escalated.
When Memphis police arrived at the chaotic scene, they discovered two
men with gunshot wounds in the parking lot. One of the victims, Terrial Alexander, was pronounced dead at the scene. Larry Bailey was rushed to Regional One Hospital in critical condition but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. In the aftermath, it was learned that five other people, four men and one woman, had also been shot and were transported to area hospitals in private vehicles. Authorities later stated that Bailey and Alexander were the intended targets of the shooting.
The investigation into the deadly shooting led to the arrests of three suspects. Johnny Sanford was identified by a witness as the individual who shot Larry Bailey. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Another suspect, Damone Joseph Sykes, was also charged in connection with the incident. According to investigators, video footage showed Sykes taking a gun from a man who was trying to restrain another shooter. Sykes then allegedly shot that man. Sykes faced charges of attempted first-degree murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and weapons-related offenses. A third man, Kendrick Gray, was also indicted on charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated assault.
Court proceedings for the three suspects began in the months following the shooting, with preliminary hearings scheduled for April 2023. All three men were later indicted for their alleged roles in the violent episode that cut Larry Bailey's life short.
