Memphis Police reported that officers responded to a shooting call at Racquetball Lane at the Trinity Lakes Apartments in Memphis, Tennessee, at about 7:30 Thursday morning. According to police, they found a woman with a gunshot wound, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the woman’s two children were believed to have left the area with Larry Berry in a black Mercedes sedan. MPD reported that the woman and Berry had previously been in a relationship. The children were later located safely in Robinsonville, Mississippi. According to MPD, Berry was found with a gunshot wound in a wooded area of Marks, Mississippi, after an hours-long search. Police said he was pronounced dead while Quitman County was attempting to take him to a hospital. Multiple local, state, and federal agencies assisted in the investigation. What Makes This Incident Different This reported fatal shooting began at a residential apartment complex in Memphis but involved a search that extended into Mississippi. The reported location of the children and the later discovery of Berry in Marks meant agencies from more than one jurisdiction took part. The immediate safety and well-being of the children are an especially important part of the reported events. MPD said they were found safe, but a fatal event involving a parent can still leave families facing difficult practical, emotional, and legal concerns. The public report also identifies a prior relationship between the woman and Berry, which may be relevant context for investigators without determining what occurred or who may bear civil responsibility. Questions Investigators May Examine The evidence will determine what happened before officers arrived at the Trinity Lakes Apartments. Investigators may examine questions such as: - What information was provided in the shooting call and what responding officers observed at the location. - Whether witness accounts, physical evidence, or available recordings may help clarify the sequence of events. - Whether records may clarify when the children left the apartment complex and how they were later located in Robinsonville. - Whether the multi-agency investigation may provide additional information about the search and the events reported in Mississippi. - Whether any facts support a separate civil claim connected to the death, apart from the criminal investigation. These are questions for the investigation, not conclusions. A police investigation can be essential, but its findings and timing do not necessarily answer every question a surviving family may have about available civil remedies. Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved In a reported fatal shooting at an apartment complex, prompt preservation can matter because some materials may be lost, replaced, or overwritten. Depending on the circumstances, potentially relevant evidence may include: - Police incident reports, dispatch records, and recordings of emergency calls. - Photographs, diagrams, forensic documentation, and other materials collected by law enforcement. - Available surveillance video from the apartment complex, nearby areas, or surrounding roadways. - Apartment property records that may identify management, ownership, maintenance responsibilities, or security-related communications. - Witness names, contact information, and contemporaneous statements. - Medical examiner records and documentation concerning the woman’s death. - Records associated with the search for the children and the reported recovery of the black Mercedes sedan, if such records exist. - Relevant messages, call logs, or other electronic information that may be lawfully available and may help establish a timeline. Families should avoid altering devices, messages, or documents that could be important. An attorney can help send preservation requests and seek records through appropriate legal channels while respecting the active law-enforcement investigation. What Families Should Know A fatal shooting can lead to both a criminal investigation and a potential civil wrongful-death matter. Those processes are separate. A criminal investigation focuses on whether criminal laws were violated, while a civil review may consider whether a legally responsible party or available insurance coverage could be involved under the facts that are eventually established. In Tennessee, a wrongful-death claim generally has a one-year filing deadline, though the applicable deadline and the person authorized to act can depend on the circumstances. A surviving spouse, children, other family members, or a personal representative may have different roles under Tennessee law. Families should obtain case-specific legal advice promptly rather than assume another investigation will preserve their civil rights. It may also help to keep copies of communications from police, medical providers, landlords or property representatives, insurers, and other agencies. A careful review can identify what records should be requested and whether any time-sensitive notice or filing requirements may apply. How Dunk Law Can Help Dunk Law can help Tennessee families after a fatal violent incident by reviewing the known facts, identifying possible civil issues, and taking steps to preserve relevant records. Our team can communicate with involved agencies, assess available documentation connected to a residential-property incident, and explain how a wrongful-death review differs from an ongoing criminal matter. If your family has lost someone in a shooting in Memphis or elsewhere in Tennessee, Dunk Law can discuss the circumstances with care and help you understand the next steps available under Tennessee law. Related Dunk Law Resources - Wrongful death claims - Catastrophic injury claims - All practice areas - Memphis personal injury lawyers This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.