Family friend mourns man shot to death at Airbnb party shooting

by: Harrison Klopp

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After a man was shot to death at an Airbnb party on Monday, his friend is mourning his death.

Cory Fields, 22, was allegedly fatally shot and killed by Jermiah Tucker, 18, early Monday morning at an East Memphis Airbnb.

Tucker has been charged with second-degree murder.

Around 12:20 a.m. June 9, officers say they were called to a shooting at a home in the 5000 block of Flamingo Road just off Mt. Moriah. Officers say a party was ongoing at an Airbnb.

A male victim was found in the driveway suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was then taken to St. Francis Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

During the investigation, police say Jeremiah Tucker was identified in a six-person photographic lineup as the person responsible for the shooting.

Witnesses say someone at the Airbnb party called Tucker to sell marijuana to people at the party. When Tucker arrived, witnesses say he got into an argument with the victim in the driveway.

The argument became physical when Tucker shot the victim multiple times before leaving the scene on foot, witnesses say.

Tucker was booked into jail on Monday. His bond has yet to be set.

The friend of Cory Fields’s family said those close to Cory would call him “CJ,” and they are still processing what happened over the weekend, as Fields was shot at an East Memphis Airbnb multiple times.

“He was a sweet kid and he was a go getter, and CJ has a smile that could brighten the whole freaking room,” said a family friend who did not want to be identified.

His friend said Cory graduated from Cordova High School and was a student at Coahoma Community College, and was a gifted singer with a larger-than-life personality.

The friend says he thinks second-degree murder is too lenient a charge for Tucker, who showed up to the party to sell marijuana and left after shooting Cory.

“There is no way in the devil, you are 18 years old, you pulled up to a party to sell weed and you walk away a murderer, an accused murder of shooting someone nine times, self defense is one or two, but to shoot someone 9 times, you intentionally meant for that man not to come back,” said Cory’s friend.

WREG called the man listed as the property owner of the Airbnb, but he declined to comment.

WREG reached out to Airbnb for a statement, and they said the following:

“We condemn this senseless act of gun violence and our thoughts are with those who have been impacted by it. Airbnb bans disruptive and unauthorized parties, and our Safety team has taken action to remove the account of the guest who booked this reservation and suspend the listing. Our law enforcement response team stands ready to assist the Memphis Police Department with their investigation.”

This is the latest crime to occur during a party at a short-term rental house.

In March, police found 90 shell casings after a shooting at an Airbnb along Clarke Place in Midtown. Also, in March, detectives investigated another shooting at an Airbnb near Poplar and North Hollywood during a late-night party.

Last year, the Germantown Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance banning the hosting of events in residential areas where admission is charged, after a party where upwards of 35 calls were made to police.

About Post Author

Shelby County Observer

See author's posts