Man charged in Memphis Rox shooting that killed two
A view of the climbing walls inside Memphis Rox, a climbing facility and gym located in South Memphis. A man has been charged in a shooting of two men that took place at the nonprofit. (Houston Colfield/The Daily Memphian file)
A man has been charged in connection to a South Memphis shooting that killed two people Sunday, June 29.
Farris Haley, 28, has been charged with tampering with or fabricating evidence and resisting official detention, according to online court records.
According to police, two men got into an argument inside Memphis Rox, a local indoor rock-climbing facility, and gunshots rang out. One man died inside the business while the other was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Haley was initially detained at the scene but “broke away,” according to an affidavit filed in his case.
“Farris Haley then reentered the crime scene, grabbed the pistol and fled,” the affidavit reads.
“Officer Jackson 15646 gave chase, and ordered Farris Haley to stop, but he did not. Officer Jackson observed Farris Haley throw the pistol into an awaiting vehicle and continue to flee. Officer Jackson was able to capture Farris, take him to the ground, and into custody.”
Memphis Rox confirmed in an Instagram post that one of the men who died was an employee at the facility.
“Tonight, we lost one of our most beloved Memphis Rox team members to gun violence. We will close our doors this week beginning Monday June 30 as we process our grief,” the post reads.
Memphis police have not identified the victims, but media reports have identified one of the men who died as 25-year-old Jarmond Johnson.
Media reports have identified one of the victims as 25-year-old Jarmond Johnson. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)
Johnson spoke to The Daily Memphian last year about how Memphis Rox helped steer him away from a life of crime.
Johnson, a former gang member, was also active in steering other young people away from the lifestyle.
“If it wasn’t for this place, I don’t know what would have happened to me,” he said. “Climbing? I didn’t know what climbing was. The only rocks I knew about were the pictures on beer cans or the rocks being sold on the corner. To come in here and see there was another way to live? This feels like a dream.”
Haley remains in custody, according to Shelby County’s jail inmate portal. He is set to make his first court appearance Tuesday, July 1.
Topics
Memphis Rox fatal shootingAarron Fleming
Aarron Fleming covers public safety for The Daily Memphian, focusing on crime and the local court system. He earned his bachelor’s in journalism and strategic media from the University of Memphis.
Public Safety on demand
Sign up to receive Public Safety stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.