Hundreds had gathered on Brookins Street before gunfire killed Dr. Shandrika Hayslett and wounded four other adults.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A large family celebration marking a relative’s college acceptance ended in gunfire late Saturday in Memphis’ Douglass community, killing a 34-year-old woman and injuring four other adults as police began searching for those responsible.
The gathering on Brookins Street was described as a trunk party, a celebration connected to a relative preparing for college. Hundreds of people were there when the shooting occurred around 11 p.m., according to Memphis police and local reports. What had started as a milestone gathering quickly became a large police investigation spanning the street and surrounding area.
The woman killed was identified Monday as Dr. Shandrika Hayslett, 34. State representative-elect Dr. Telisa Franklin confirmed her identity. Hayslett was attending the celebration when she was fatally wounded. Authorities have not released information indicating that she was an intended target.
Four other people were shot. Police said all five victims were adults between 27 and 42 years old. Two survivors, a man and a woman, were initially listed in critical condition, while another man and woman were hospitalized with injuries described as non-critical.
By Monday morning, three of the four surviving victims had been released from the hospital. One person remained in critical condition. Police had not publicly identified any of the survivors, and additional details about their injuries were not released.
Accounts from the neighborhood underscored how abruptly the gathering changed. Residents described a celebration with a large crowd before the gunfire began. One nearby resident reported that bullets traveled into a home, illustrating how the shooting affected not only those attending the party but also people living near the gathering.
Investigators have identified three suspects, Memphis police said, but their names had not been made public as of Monday morning. No arrests or charges had been announced. Authorities also had not released a motive or explained what may have triggered the shooting.
Police have not said whether the gunfire came from one weapon or several, whether the suspects were guests at the celebration or whether investigators believe any particular person was targeted. The relationship, if any, between the suspects and the five people who were shot also remained unclear.
The investigation now centers on reconstructing what happened within a large gathering and determining who fired the shots. With hundreds of people reported at the celebration, witness accounts and other evidence could be important as detectives work to establish the sequence of events.
As of Monday, one victim remained hospitalized in critical condition and police continued investigating the shooting. The three identified suspects had not been publicly named, and authorities had not announced arrests or a suspected motive.
Author note: Last updated August 10, 2026.