MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man was shot and killed in North Memphis on Monday morning, and his family says they are upset because his body was left on the ground for hours.
According to the Memphis Police Department, the incident took place at 1:35 a.m. in the area of Staten Avenue and Hollywood. Officers found a man with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Family identified the victim as 25-year-old Javola Crawford, also known as “Lil Ted.” They say he leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter.
“A guy that he knows came to my mama’s house and let her know it was my brother shot in his van. But turns out, my brother is on the ground,” said the victim’s sister Nichole.
They said not only are they heartbroken by the killing, but surprised Crawford was out so late.
Crawford’s brother described him as a homebody, saying, “he don’t be out, he don’t party, he don’t club. He stay to himself.”
His aunt, Teresa Johnson, said the family wonders if someone called Crawford to this location in a setup.
“I don’t know what he was doing over here. He normally don’t be out this late,” she said, also noting, “He’s not never caught lacking … he keep his gun on him.”
Family members also were upset that five hours after police showed up, their loved one was still on the ground uncovered.
His 12-year-old brother saying he just lost his best friend.
“I won’t be able to hug him, tell him I love him no more – it’s messed up how they did him,” his little brother said.
📡 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.
📧 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox.
The victim’s Aunt is asking anyone who knows anything to come forward.
“I am hurting,” Johnson said. “And I really hope they will come clean and tell somebody something. You can’t hide too long the streets talk, the streets do we goanna find out something in a flip.”
Memphis police say no arrests have been made and this is an ongoing investigation.