The Memphis Police Department announced that Mavis Christian Jr., a 52-year-old man, was discovered inside a vehicle with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the early hours of Sunday, just hours after being sought for three different shootings that resulted in the deaths of four women and the critical condition of another.
Authorities explained that local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies had been searching for Christian after the first shooting at 9 p.m. Saturday. There, a female was found with a fatal gunshot wound. A subsequent investigation revealed that two other shootings were also connected to Christian.
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Police investigating shootings as domestic violence
Authorities expressed their condolences to the victims and their families. They are treating the shootings as domestic violence cases, revealing that Christian was related to the victims and believed to be specifically targeting family members.
While the identities of the victims were not disclosed, it was confirmed that a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old were among those affected. In the first shooting, three women were found shot, with two fatalities and one injured critically. Then, at a second scene, another woman was shot.
Additional information uncovered that Christian was reportedly driving a white 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, which was the vehicle where he was later found deceased. This tragic event is another instance underscoring the growing concern of domestic violence in communities across the country.
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