MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man who said he is an accused killer’s childhood friend said he spoke with Kwasi Corbin just hours before a deadly weekend shooting in downtown Memphis.
The shots rang out at Second Street and Peabody around 12:30 a.m. Sunday. 18-year-old Myneishia Johnson was gunned down celebrating her graduation.
Johnson was set to graduate Saturday from Booker T. Washington High School.
According to police, Corbin told them he fired an assault rifle into a crowd. Johnson was killed, and two other men were hospitalized.
“I talked to him the same night before it happened. I absolutely know that girl was not the target,” said Mario Wilbourn.
Wilbourn said he’s a longtime friend of Corbin. He said for the last few months Corbin has been worried.
“This man sit in his car every single day of the week. Sit out there in his car and cry about what they did to his cousin and what they trying to do to him,” he explained.
Wilbourn could not say who Corbin’s cousin is or who killed him but said since he was murdered a few months ago Corbin has been on edge.
“He got kids out here too and I don’t think he’d want anyone to kill his baby mama and leave his baby without a mama either,” he explained.
However police said because Corbin fired an assault rifle into a crowd early Sunday morning, Johnson’s 1-year-old son won’t know his mother either.
Wilbourn said in the hours before the shooting Corbin told him he was going to a carnival and out on Beale Street. He believes Corbin saw someone connected with his cousin’s death and started shooting before they could shoot him.
Wilbourn doesn’t think Corbin knew Johnson or the other two men hit by bullets. Wilbourn admits Corbin, who has a long rap sheet of domestic violence and assault charges has a tainted history. However he hopes the violence will stop and all families affected will find peace.
“I just wanna give all my sympathies and sorrows to them.”
Johnson was a basketball player at Booker T. The high school said they plan to retire her jersey and her young son will accept her diploma on her behalf at Saturday’s graduation.
Corbin is due in court May 31.