Seventeen-year-old Xavier Tankersley was killed in a shooting on Lauderdale Avenue in the southern part of Memphis on March 5, 2023. A Melrose High School student and participant in school sports, Xavier was one of two people shot that evening; another person was wounded.

Xavier’s mother, Jeaneen Tankersley-Jones, made a public plea for anyone with information to speak with police and visited the Melrose High School football stadium in memory of her son. By August 2023 the Memphis Police Department had not announced any arrests or identified suspects, and no motive had been disclosed.

CrimeStoppers of Memphis and Shelby County offered a $10,000 reward, supported by anonymous donations, for information leading to the arrest and charging of those responsible. If anyone knew Xavier or has information about the shooting, please contact the authorities.