What started as a routine drive through Midtown Memphis turned into a road‑rage showdown, ending with bullets hitting another driver’s car, according to police. Investigators say the May 4 confrontation involved a Jeep and another vehicle, and that a passenger in the Jeep fired toward the other car, striking its rear bumper.
The dispute allegedly kicked off at Union Avenue and Cleveland Street, where one driver became upset that the other was taking too long to make a turn. The tension did not stay at that intersection. The vehicles later ended up near Peabody Avenue and Bellevue Boulevard, where a man in the Jeep opened fire, police told reporters.
Officers say they recovered a shell casing at Peabody and Bellevue, then pulled traffic‑camera footage and traced the Jeep’s registration to develop leads on who was involved. A photo lineup on May 12 helped solidify the case and led investigators to a suspect, according to Action News 5.
Charges and What They Mean
Police identified the suspect as 29‑year‑old Detavious Alexander. He was charged with attempted second‑degree murder and with employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, according to the arrest information summarized by reporters.
Under Tennessee law, the firearm count is its own felony, separate from the attempted‑murder charge, and it frequently carries a mandatory minimum prison term. Courts have cited a six‑year minimum sentence in many cases involving that statute. How much time Alexander could ultimately face will depend on what prosecutors can prove in court and on his criminal history, as outlined in Tennessee Code §39‑17‑1324.
How Investigators Say They Built the Case
Detectives say they matched the Jeep involved in the run‑in to its registration using a police database, then used traffic‑camera video to confirm the victim’s account of what happened. Officers also collected the shell casing found at Peabody and Bellevue as physical evidence.
According to investigators, the victim later picked the driver of the Jeep out of a photo lineup. That driver was taken into custody and, during questioning, told police that Alexander was the one responsible for firing the shots, authorities say. Those details were first reported by Action News 5.
The case remains under investigation. This story will be updated as new court filings or additional details emerge.
