Tennessee Man Accused of Spraying Home With Bullets Over $1,200 Car Repair Dispute, Injuring 91-Year-Old Retired Cop
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — A Memphis man is behind bars after allegedly opening fire on a home during a heated dispute over an unfinished car repair job, striking a 91-year-old retired police officer who happened to be inside.
According to the Memphis Police Department, 37-year-old Tavares Sheeks has been charged with attempted second-degree murder, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon following the September 21 shooting on Cloverdale Drive in the Castalia Heights neighborhood.
Dispute Over Car Repair Turns Violent
Police say the violence stemmed from an ongoing argument between Sheeks and a woman who had paid him $1,200 to repair her Dodge Challenger — work that was never started.
According to WREG and WMC-TV, the woman repeatedly demanded her money back after months of waiting, but the disagreement escalated over time. On the day of the shooting, Sheeks allegedly appeared at the victim’s home and called out, “I got your money.”
When the woman opened the door, Sheeks was reportedly standing at the curb with two other individuals, who then began firing multiple rounds into the house.
Retired Officer Shot in the Hand
Inside the home was John Allen, a 91-year-old retired Memphis police officer, along with five other people, including a 2-year-old child.
Allen told reporters he was in a back room when the shots began.
“I was in a bedroom and came up to the front, and by the time I got up there, a bullet ricocheted through the wall and hit me in the hand,” Allen said. “Almost got me.”
The house was riddled with about a dozen bullet holes, and police said several rounds entered through the front window. Allen was taken to a hospital for treatment and survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
Suspect Arrested, Two Others Sought
Sheeks and the other suspects reportedly fled in a silver Nissan sedan following the shooting. After a six-week investigation, Sheeks was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Shelby County Jail on $157,500 bond.
He is expected to appear in court on November 3. Police have not yet identified the two other suspects believed to have been involved.
Records show Sheeks has a criminal history, and court documents indicate the shooting was part of an ongoing personal dispute — not a random act.
Anyone with information about the two remaining suspects is urged to contact Memphis CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH (2274).
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