The West Memphis Police Department has detained an 18-year-old in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred on September 22. Identified as Davarious Speed, the teenager faces first-degree murder and theft of a firearm charges, as reported by Action News 5. Officers, having responded to a shooting call on South Oak Street, discovered a male victim with gunshot wounds seated in a vehicle. The victim, later identified as Jai Harris, was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital.
Adding to these details, WREG reported that the incident took place in the 300 block of South Ok St around 12:45 p.m., where Harris was found in his silver Mercedes SUV, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving interventions at the scene, Harris succumbed to his injuries after hospitalization. Arrested on October 24, Speed was already in custody at the Crittenden County Jail on an unrelated charge of firearm theft from an earlier incident.
Through the work of the Criminal Investigation Division Detectives, Speed emerged as a suspect, and a warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest in connection with the murder and firearm theft. With the investigation still active, West Memphis police encourage anyone with pertinent information to reach out to the WMPD Criminal Investigation Division at 870-732-7554. This plea for public assistance was shared by FOX13 Memphis.
With Speed facing serious charges at such a young age, communities are left grappling with the implications of another life cut tragically short. Davarious Speed, at the time of the new charges, had been imprinted for a theft of a firearm in an unrelated case, marking a confluence of legal woes for the teenager. The full impact of this event on both the victim's loved ones and the accused's future remains to be seen as proceedings continue.
