In the early morning hours of January 25, 2020, the life of 21-year-old I'Quira Tate was tragically cut short in a violent intrusion into a Little Rock, Arkansas home. An unidentified man entered the residence on South Ringo Street at approximately 1:30 a.m. and opened fire. I'Quira, along with her 24-year-old cousin, Brittany Tate, were both shot and killed in the attack.
The two women were pronounced dead at the scene.
The violence of that night also touched the life of I'Quira's two-year-old son, who was present in the home and sustained a gunshot wound to his upper body. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in serious condition but was later released. Another teenager who was in the house at the time of the shooting was a witness to the horrific events but was not physically injured.
For years, the case remained without a resolution, leaving the families of the victims and the community awaiting justice. The Little Rock Police Department investigated the double homicide, which they believed to be an isolated domestic incident. A reward of $10,000 was offered for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Community organizations also joined in the call for justice and offered support to the grieving families.
After a lengthy investigation, a breakthrough in the case brought a suspect into custody. Clifton D. Laster was arrested and is facing serious charges in connection with the deaths of I'Quira Tate and Brittany Tate. He has been charged with two counts of capital murder for the deaths of the two women and a count of first-degree battery for the injuries sustained by I'Quira's young son. The arrest has brought a sense of hope for justice to the family, though the pain of their loss remains.
