“Evil”: Memphis shooter Ezekiel Kelly’s smiling mugshot leaves netizens disturbed

On Wednesday, September 7, 2022, a 19-year-old Memphis gunman, Ezekiel Kelly, was arrested after a 20-hour long shooting spree and a consequent manhunt for murdering four people and injuring three others. Kelly, however, has shown no remorse for his actions. In his booking photo, taken on September 7, the ruthless murderer is seen grinning from ear to ear.

Ezekiel Kelly's wide smiling face has creeped out netizens as the country grapples with another mass shooting. People on the internet labeled him as "evil" and a "sociopath" after his picture was released to the public.

Ezekiel Kelly's shooting spree came to an abrupt end when he was taken into custody at around 9:20 pm, after he crashed his stolen vehicle during a high-speed chase while crossing state lines into Arkansas. Another photo of the suspect released by reporter Joyce Peterson, taken just after his arrest following the car crash, showed Kelly grinning broadly. Peterson said in a tweet:

"This man, according to MPD, killed four people at 8 crime scenes while broadcasting some of it on social media."

Ezekiel Kelly was arrested without incident by the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. At 9:28 pm on September 8, the MPD tweeted about Kelly's arrest.

According to county records, Kelly has been charged with first-degree murder. He is currently being held without bail in the Shelby County Jail.

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Memphis nightmare comes to an end with Ezekiel Kelly's arrest

On Wednesday, just days after the kidnapping and murder of Eliza Fletcher, Memphis was once again engulfed in terror as a man went on a bloody rampage, killing four innocent people and injuring three others. Part of his senseless attack was live-streamed on Facebook.

The murder spree started in the early hours of September 8 and lasted for almost 20 hours. At around 7:40 am, the Memphis Police Department asked residents of Ivan Road and Hodge Road to take shelter in place and stay inside unless there was an emergency.

Labeling Ezekiel Kelly as "armed and dangerous," the police department issued an emergency warning and asked the residents to call 911 immediately if they had any information regarding his whereabouts.

"Be on the lookout for a male Black occupying a blue or silver sedan...who is responsible for multiple shootings. We are getting reports that he is recording his actions on Facebook. We do not have a specific location of where he is now."

At a press conference, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis provided a detailed explanation of Kelly's gun violence spree. Davis outlined the events of the day clearly, with the first bullets flying at 12:56 am on Lyndale Avenue. The victim, identified as Zeek Huncho, was pronounced dead at the scene. The next victim was shot dead in the 900 block of South Parkway East.

Regarding the suspect, Davis said:

"Video surveillance at the business revealed a Black male pulled up next to the victim in a gray sedan."

A woman at Norris Road and Interstate 240 was the next unfortunate victim of Kelly's murderous intent. The female victim, however, sustained a non-critical gunshot wound to the leg.

Throughout the day, another four isolated shootings took place, and the police were alerted to two carjackings. Of the arrest, she said:

"At 8:58 p.m. Memphis police officers spotted the Dodge Challenger northbound on Interstate 55 from State Line Road. A high speed pursuit began. The pursuit terminated at Hyde Road and Ivan Row. The male driver, identified as Ezekiel Kelly, was taken into custody without incident by the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office."

Two firearms were found in his possession. Ezekiel Kelly is no stranger to prison. According to court documents, he was charged with attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm with intent to be armed during a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon in 2020.