In what should have been a time of solemn remembrance, a long-simmering family feud erupted into deadly violence, claiming the life of 35-year-old Curtis Lamorris Allen. The tragic events unfolded on February 21, 2020, in Forest City, Arkansas, during a visitation for Allen's recently deceased father at the Miles J. Kimble Mortuary and Cremation.
Family and friends had gathered to mourn and pay their respects, but an undercurrent of tension between Allen and his cousin, Christopher Reed, shattered the somber atmosphere. Witnesses stated that the confrontation began when Reed, who was 33 at the time, approached Allen and attempted to shake his hand. Allen refused the gesture, a decision that proved to be fatal. In response to the rejection, Reed reportedly pulled a firearm from a backpack he was carrying and shot Allen multiple times.
The sound of gunfire plunged the funeral home into chaos as attendees scattered in search of safety. Amid the turmoil, emergency services were called, and Allen was rushed to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee, for treatment of his critical injuries. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Curtis Lamorris Allen succumbed to his wounds two days after the shooting.
Law enforcement from the Forrest City Police Department responded swiftly to the scene of the crime. They located and apprehended Christopher Reed approximately 300 to 400 yards away from the mortuary without any resistance. Following his arrest, Reed was charged with a litany of serious offenses, including first-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a felon, and the commission of a felony with a firearm. The incident left a deep scar on the community, transforming a place of mourning into a scene of a shocking and senseless act of violence rooted in a family dispute that had reportedly been ongoing since 2014.
