In the quiet moments of an October evening in Columbus, Mississippi, Sammie Corder, a 67-year-old man, was enjoying the simple pleasure of listening to the radio in his car, parked in the familiar comfort of his own driveway. That peaceful scene was tragically shattered on Sunday, October 30, 2022, when gunfire erupted in his neighborhood. Corder was struck by a bullet in the chest, an innocent bystander caught in a conflict that was not his own.
First responders were called to the 700 block of 21st Street North around 8 p.m. following reports of multiple gunshots.
The investigation into the senseless killing of Sammie Corder moved forward, and a suspect was soon identified. Tameron Ward, a 16-year-old, was arrested in connection with the shooting. Authorities determined that Ward had allegedly been involved in an earlier altercation and was firing at someone else when one of the bullets tragically struck and killed Corder. Due to the gravity of the crime and the use of a weapon, the decision was made to charge Ward as an adult.
In May of 2024, the legal proceedings in the case of Sammie Corder's death reached a conclusion. Tameron Ward pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter. Following his guilty plea, Ward was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for his role in the untimely and tragic death of a man who was simply enjoying a quiet evening at his home.
