A woman was sitting in her car at a Memphis Walmart when she heard a gunshot and discovered her vehicle had been struck — later learning that the bullet had passed through another driver's hand before hitting her Audi, authorities say.
Background
According to an affidavit obtained by CrimeBytes, the incident occurred Saturday evening in the parking lot of the Walmart store located on Austin Peay Highway in Memphis, Tennessee. The woman told investigators she was seated inside her 2013 Audi A4 when she heard a gunshot and discovered that her rear passenger door had been struck by a bullet.
The woman told officers the shot appeared to have come from a white Chevrolet sedan parked next to her. She observed that the driver of the other vehicle, who was alone in the car, "appeared to have an injury to one of his hands" before driving away from the scene.
Officers with the Memphis Police Department responded and spoke with the woman. They observed damage to her vehicle and located a bullet fragment inside it.
The Investigation
Investigators learned that 23-year-old Elijah Jones was being treated in the emergency room of a nearby hospital for a gunshot wound to his hand, according to court documents. Officers located a white 2017 Chevrolet Impala registered to Jones in the Walmart parking lot.
Inside the vehicle, officers found a 10mm Smith & Wesson M&P handgun on the front passenger seat and a spent shell casing on the floorboard, the affidavit states. "Jones advised Officers that he was in the driver seat of his vehicle when he went to grab his gun from beneath the driver's seat," according to the document. "As he picked up the weapon, it discharged, and the gunshot struck his hand." He then drove himself to the hospital for treatment.
The Charges
Jones has been charged with reckless endangerment regarding the discharge of a firearm from within a motor vehicle, court records show. He was booked into Shelby County Jail, where his bond was set at $100,000.
Key Takeaways
- Jones allegedly shot himself through his own hand while retrieving a weapon from under his driver's seat in his Impala
- The bullet passed through his injured hand and struck the woman's 2013 Audi A4 parked beside him
- Officers discovered the handgun and spent shell casing inside Jones' vehicle at the Walmart parking lot
- Jones was treated for a gunshot wound to his hand before being taken into custody
What's Next
Jones is scheduled to appear in court on the reckless endangerment charge. The investigation remains active as authorities continue processing evidence from the scene.