A Memphis firefighter has been charged with attempted first-degree murder after authorities allege he strangled his girlfriend and bit a hole in her cheek inside her car while family members reportedly stood just feet away.
Khy'ric Mason, 27, was sitting with his 25-year-old girlfriend in her Hyundai Elantra parked outside a residence in northeast Memphis when the attack began, according to an affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime. The woman's 9-year-old son was also inside the vehicle.
Police said Mason asked who was calling the woman's phone when it started ringing. When she didn't answer his question, he got upset and told the child to go inside the house so he could speak with her alone.
Once the boy went into the residence, Mason locked the car's doors and reached over from the passenger seat to strangle the woman, placing both hands around her neck and attempting to twist it, the affidavit states. Authorities said he tried to pull her into the backseat by her neck while continuing to choke her.
The victim kicked the steering wheel horn for help but couldn't escape. She bit his finger in an attempt to fight him off, but police said Mason would not release her neck. While continuing to strangle her, he allegedly bit a hole out of her left cheek.
Her son returned and was able to open the passenger side door, attempting to help his mother escape from the vehicle, authorities stated. As she screamed for help, several of Mason's family members who were at the residence rushed outside to intervene.
Mason's relatives separated the defendant and victim before Mason drove away in her car without permission, according to police. The Memphis Police Department responded to the area and found the woman with visible injuries.
Background
Officers observed abrasions and bruises around the victim's chest and neck along with a bite wound to her face that included missing tissue on her left cheek, the affidavit states. She identified Mason as her attacker. He was later arrested and booked into the Shelby County Detention Center.
Local ABC affiliate WATN reported that Mason was employed as a firefighter with the Memphis Fire Department. The outlet also noted that authorities believe the alleged attack occurred after the victim had broken up with Mason.
The Charges
Mason has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, kidnapping, theft of property, and domestic assault causing bodily harm. He is being held in the Shelby County Detention Center on $100,000 bond. A bond hearing was scheduled following his arrest.
The Memphis Police Department is handling the investigation into the alleged attack that left the victim requiring medical treatment for her injuries.
Key Takeaways
- Khy'ric Mason, 27, a Memphis firefighter, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and other felonies
- The alleged attack occurred inside the victim's Hyundai Elantra in northeast Memphis while her son was sent into the house
- Mason allegedly strangled his girlfriend and bit a hole in her left cheek before family members intervened
- The victim suffered visible injuries including bruises around her neck and chest and missing tissue from the bite wound
- Mason fled the scene in the victim's car after the alleged attack
What's Next
Mason remains in custody at the Shelby County Detention Center awaiting his scheduled bond hearing. The Memphis Police Department continues its investigation into the incident. Further details about potential upcoming court proceedings were not immediately available.