After reportedly shooting and murdering James Redmon on Monday, 44-year-old Richard Lewis was taken into custody and faces first-degree murder charges. The Main Event on Appling Farms Parkway employed both men as security officers.
First-degree murder, which is a Class A offense, carries the death penalty, life without parole, or life with parole as an option, according to Judge Karen Massey.
Court documents reveal that Lewis was not currently a registered security guard. With 90 days to reapply, Lewis sought to have his license renewed on June 17, but he failed to provide the necessary paperwork.
The fatal shooting occurred on July 22 at around 7:15 p.m., according to the Memphis Police Department (MPD). The MPD said that the proprietor of the establishment contacted the authorities upon hearing what he described as “two bangs.” Redmon was found lifeless at the scene of the crime with a gunshot wound to the head, according to MPD.
After running from his office, the general manager reportedly approached Lewis and demanded to know what had transpired. Just as Lewis said in his arrest affidavit, the manager said the security guard said that Redmon came at him, and he “had to do it.”
Lewis allegedly became agitated upon seeing Redmon simply for being there, according to the police. At one point, Lewis reportedly threatened to “blow his (expletive) off” if Redmon “walks up on me.”
A witness informed the authorities that Lewis and Redmon got into an argument about who should use the metal detector on clients. According to the employee, Lewis started shouting at Redmon, warning him not to walk up on him, and then shot Redmon twice in the head about ten minutes later.
According to another employee’s account to the police, she overheard the two security officers conversing and then four distinct “pows.” After the gunfire subsided, she reported seeing a man in a police vest standing beside the downed man.
Lewis was discovered standing next to Redmon. Lewis, according to the authorities, had a loaded black Austria Glock on him. There were no live bullets in Redmon’s gun, according to the officers; the weapon was still in his holster.
Redmon had a valid security guard license.
