Man shoots 22 year old woman, Ellie Claire Young of Henning dead during Making Strides breast cancer walk at Shelby Farms Park, Memphis, Tennessee, before fleeing the scene. Victim had been participating in walk. Gunman, Jackson Hopper, 26, arrested after high speed police chase. Victim had recently broken up with suspect.
A man is in custody after allegedly shooting and killing a 22 year old woman as she attended Saturday’s Making Strides breast cancer walk, at Shelby Farms Park, Memphis, Tennessee.
The shooting occurred around 12:15 Saturday at the Visitor Center of Shelby Farms; the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said in an X post that the Memphis Fire Department pronounced the woman dead at the scene, and that the suspected shooter drove out of the park.
TN man who shot & killed his breast cancer survivor wife id as MBA grad, after she broke up with him
Suspect arrested following high speed police chase
The shooting occurred during the conclusion of the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, an event meant to celebrate survivors and raise awareness.
The victim late Saturday was identified as 22 year old woman, Ellie Claire Young of Henning, Tennessee. At the time of the shooting death, Ellie Young was a medical student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
The suspect, later id as Jackson Hopper, 26, — who the victim had recently broken up with — was reported being taken into custody after a high speed police chase ended in Dyer County. A search of the man’s vehicle led to officers with the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office r a loaded handgun and taken in as evidence according to a press release late Saturday.
Fleeing suspect had attempted to run over police sergeant
The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office in its release said the suspect attempted to run over one of its sergeants and even drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic.
Investigators say the pursuit went through Tipton County, Lauderdale County and into Dyer County. It ended after a PIT maneuver inside Dyer County on Highway 51 and the fleeing suspect’s vehicle overturning (see above image).
Jackson Hopper was taken into custody and evaluated at the emergency room by medical staff.
Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box thanked law enforcement agencies in Shelby County, Tipton County, Lauderdale County, the Mason Police Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol for their assistance.
ABC24 reported the shooting happening just after 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 in the parking lot of the Visitor Center at Shelby Farms. A woman was found at the scene and was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Victim had recently broken up with suspect
Preliminary reports stated witnesses saying they heard multiple shots fired.
‘This young lady, she was still running and a young lady behind her. A white car pulled up and shot her twice,’ witness Monica Bell told FOX13.
I was having a good time and after I got through walking, I’m walking toward my car and these young ladies started running and the man, ‘pow’ ‘pow’ and pulled off,’ Bell said.
‘Out of a hundred years, I never would have figured this would have happened out here,’ said Florida Person, who says he visits the park often.
‘What was in that man’s mind? I don’t know, the devil had him. He’s full of the devil. That devil is working.’
‘Everything was still going on down there normally, still carrying on, people still walking,” another witness said. ‘It sounded like, you know how a car backfires? That’s what it sounded like but come to find out, we got done with it, they said a man shot his wife in the head.’
Reports told of the pair dating and Young recently breaking up with the suspect. Speculation also included Young having been a breast cancer survivor.
Shelby Farms Park released a statement on the shooting, saying: ‘We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the Park in the Visitor Center parking lot today. There is no threat to visitor or public safety. This is an active investigation and we are referring all questions to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.’
Memphis authorities continue to investigate.
