MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two men are charged in connection with a deadly October 2023 shooting which killed two other men at a Whitehaven restaurant, one of them the restaurant's owner, according to court records.
Darion Banks and Michael Shaffer were arrested Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023.
Court records show Banks was indicted Feb. 13, 2024, on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, reckless endangerment, theft, intentionally evading arrest, tampering with evidence, and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Shaffer was indicted on charges of evading arrest and car theft.
The arrest report said Banks and Shaffer were on the scene at Tha Table restaurant in the 3200 block of Elvis Presley Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in a stolen Infiniti sedan when the shooting occurred.
Officers found a man with a gunshot wound in another car, and he was pronounced dead on the scene. He was later identified as Tedarius Day. Another man, Tha Table's owner Alfonzo Turner, was rushed to Regional One Hospital with gunshot wounds but later died.
The next day, officers found the stolen Infiniti with tags matching another stolen car, and started a car chase after the suspects refused to stop. Banks and Shaffer were found in the car and arrested.
According to the arrest report, Banks told police he and Shaffer were trying to break into cars at the restaurant when someone came out and fired shots at them as they were leaving. Banks then told police they returned, shooting up the restaurant. Banks denied firing any shots, saying he was the driver of the stolen car.
Several of Turner’s loved ones showed up to his restaurant Monday afternoon, crying and heartbroken, knowing violence ended Turner’s life.
“He was loved…and he loved people,” said William Turner, Alfonzo’s Older Brother, “He was just always fun, happy, super-talented, could do anything, big dreamer, you know you could see it in a place like this.”
Tha Table was Alfonzo’s dream when he opened up the restaurant just a few months ago in the spring. The Memphian wanted the space to represent the best of the Bluff City, and something he could show his newborn daughter.
“He was the life of the party to the community, the party to the church, the party to his friends and family, and even the food, and that’s what this was a culmination of,” said William Turner, “He wanted this to be a light.”
Now the family is trying to remain strong together, and William Turner hopes this will motivate people to find the help they need, before another life is lost.
“I pray mercy on the souls of the individuals that took my son from me," Michelle King, Alfonzo Turner’s mother, said. “It’s painful, but something good will come out of this."
EDITOR'S NOTE: The original report included information from court records which originally showed Shaffer indicted on more charges, including murder. The Shelby County D.A.'s Office said that was a clerical error.