KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A man was convicted of attempted murder and assault on Wednesday after a shooting at an apartment complex in East Knoxville in August 2019, according to the District Attorney General's office.
They said that Shaquil Malik Talib Murphy, 28, was convicted of attempted first and second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault. Judge Steve Sword revoked his bond and set a sentencing date for Nov. 5.
According to officials, the Knoxville Police Department responded to a shooting at Morningside Apartments on Aug. 29, 2019. There, they spoke with a victim, Shane Garner, who said he had been with Murphy earlier that day and they got into an argument before the victim went to the complex.
The attorney general's office said Murphy got two revolvers after the argument, which he had bought from a teenager in exchange for methamphetamine. He then went to the apartment complex and started firing at Garner, according to a release.
Garner ran towards another victim, Howard Crowe, who worked as the maintenance supervisor for the complex. Murphy fired at Crowe's work truck and hit it twice, according to officials. Crowe then fired at Murphy with his personal gun, hitting him three times, according to authorities.
Murphy ran away by was arrested shortly afterward, according to officials.
"We were successful in this case because of the cooperation of witnesses in the community who came forward to hold this shooter accountable," said District Attorney Charme Allen.
Murphy faces up to 25 years in prison for the attempted first-degree murder charge, as well as 6 years for using a gun during it, according to authorities.