Inset: Tavares Sheeks (Shelby County Jail). Background: The house Sheeks and others allegedly fired into in Memphis, Tenn. (Google Maps).
In Tennessee, a man has been arrested following a shooting incident that reportedly stemmed from a dispute over automotive repairs and financial issues, according to state authorities.
Tavares Sheeks, 37, faces several charges, including second-degree attempted murder, using a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment involving a deadly weapon, as outlined by the Memphis Police Department.
The shooting episode took place on September 21 at a residence on Cloverdale Drive within the Castalia Heights area.
According to reports from Memphis’s NBC affiliate WMC-TV, gunfire resulted in one man sustaining injuries.
Authorities arrived shortly after midday and initiated a search for those involved. The injured individual was promptly taken to a hospital with injuries deemed non-critical. The victim, surprisingly, was a 91-year-old retired police officer.
However, investigators believe that this elderly victim was either not the primary focus of the attack or was among multiple intended targets.
The shooting allegedly stemmed from a long-running dispute over a car repair that was paid for but never actually performed, according to a report by Memphis-based CBS affiliate WREG.
John Allen, the man who was shot in the hand, retired from the Memphis Police Department 16 years ago, according to the report. Allen told the TV station it was his girlfriend in the extended argument with the defendant.
The woman said she paid Sheeks $1,200 to fix her Dodge Challenger several months prior, according to a report by WMC-TV. But, that work never even began, she said. So, the woman demanded her money back. And over time, the argument escalated.
The dispute came to a head on the day in question, when Sheeks showed up at Allen”s home, police say.
The defendant allegedly knocked on the door and said: “I got your money.”
When the woman opened the door, however, Sheeks was allegedly positioned at the curb – along with two other individuals – and the trio began shooting multiple rounds into the residence, the woman told law enforcement.
“I was in a bedroom and came up to the front, and by the time I got up to the front, a bullet ricocheted through the wall and hit me in the hand,” Allen told WREG.
The retiree noted several bullets came in through the front window – which is still covered up with plywood as of this writing.
The house was hit roughly a dozen times by the various fired guns, according to law enforcement. At the time of the shooting, there were six people inside – including a 2-year-old boy.
“Almost got me,” Allen added.
The trio is believed to have fled in a silver Nissan sedan. So far, Sheeks, who was arrested on Wednesday, is the only person charged.
The defendant is being detained in the Shelby County Jail on $157,500 bond. He is slated to appear in court on Nov. 3.
