On the evening of May 30, 2019, a 22-year-old Black male named Kirk Donnell 'Meezy' Tatum Jr. left his Detroit, Michigan home, telling his family he was making a quick trip to the store. This would be the last time they saw him alive. Later that evening, his body was discovered facedown on Phillip Street, near Waveney Street on the city's east side.
He had been fatally shot next to his black 2009 Dodge Charger.
Kirk was a graduate of Frederick Douglas Academy in Detroit and was pursuing a future in healthcare at Wayne County Community College District. His family described him as a hardworking and dependable young man who was always willing to lend a hand to others. They believe he was ambushed in a malicious act of violence. At the time of his death, there was no indication that he was involved in any illicit activities; his family firmly stated he was not a 'gangster or thug' and did not carry weapons.
In the wake of the shooting, witnesses reported seeing an older model, white, box-type SUV speeding away from the scene. Despite this lead, the investigation into Kirk Tatum Jr.'s murder has grown cold. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with his death, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an open and unsolved homicide.
The lack of progress in the investigation has been a source of immense frustration and pain for Kirk's family. They have made numerous public appeals for information, pleading with anyone who may have knowledge of the shooting to come forward. Crime Stoppers has offered a cash reward for any information that leads to an arrest in the case, with the assurance that tipsters can remain anonymous. The family continues to hold out hope that one day they will receive the answers and justice they have been seeking since that tragic day in 2019.
