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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police responded to a shooting off the 1000 block of Beverly on December 20, 2020 at about 11 p.m. and found one man shot and unresponsive as well as a woman with a gunshot wound to the face.

Police said that Robert Williams has been charged with first degree murder, first degree attempted murder, aggravated assault, employment of a firearm in committing a violent felony (x2 counts), and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.

According to police, a woman flagged them down and told police that someone shot her boyfriend, Christopher Sutton. Officers said they went to check on the man, but Sutton was unresponsive. Memphis Fire Department made it to the scene and pronounced him deceased.

The woman told police that the shooter got into the back seat of the car, pulled out a pistol and shot Sutton. According to police, the woman said she bailed out of the car and started running away from the car.

Police said the shooter fired several rounds at her while she was running away from the car. One of those bullets hit a window and struck a woman inside her home, hitting her in the face while she was in the kitchen.

The woman was transported to Regional One in critical condition, but she did survive her injuries.

Fast forward to almost a year later and officers monitoring Shotspotter gunshot detection technology got a call off Hamilton.

A man told police as he drove down the street, he spotted Williams outside a home.

He said he heard Williams say, “Where’s my pistol?” then run into the home and grab a gun.

The man says he took cover behind parked cars when Williams yelled at him, “You want to pistol play” before firing five shots.

Records show that Williams has been convicted of attempted robbery and was sentenced to two years in the Shelby County Correctional Center.

WREG went to the address listed for Williams to try to talk to someone about him on Monday, but no one answered the door. 


Currently, Williams is in police custody. What led officers to Williams and him booked in jail today is unclear.

No bond has been set at this time. Williams is scheduled to appear in court, October 12, 2021.

WREG will update with more information as it becomes available.