Family members said Seth Tatum was trying to protect his sister before the shooting.
EVERMAN, Texas — A disturbance call became a homicide investigation Wednesday morning after Everman dispatchers heard gunshots while a woman’s family was giving information to 911, police said.
The shooting happened just after 6 a.m. in the 500 block of Georgetown Drive. Officers found Seth “Tony” Tatum lying in the roadway with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital and later died, according to police.
Investigators arrested Elijah Mitchell, 22, several blocks away. Police said they also found a handgun believed to have been thrown away as Mitchell fled. Authorities said the shooting appeared to stem from a domestic relationship and was not considered a wider danger to the neighborhood.
Family members said Tatum’s sister had called 911 after Mitchell, described by relatives as her ex-boyfriend, came to the area and yelled from the street. James Tatum III said his brother tried to calm the situation and told Mitchell to leave. Moments later, he said, gunfire broke out.
James Tatum said he stayed with his brother until first responders arrived. “I was holding his head as I was telling him to breathe,” he said. The family said the killing was especially painful because Seth Tatum had a daughter due in a few weeks.
Everman police have not released the full 911 recording or said what Mitchell told investigators after his arrest. Officials have not announced a motive beyond describing the case as a domestic-related incident. Detectives continued gathering evidence from the scene and from people who saw or heard the confrontation.
The case remained under investigation Thursday. Police said there was no ongoing threat to the public after Mitchell’s arrest and the recovery of the suspected weapon.
Author note: Last updated April 24, 2026.