Crime
Quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond taken into custody
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Austin Drummond, the suspect wanted in connection with a quadruple homicide in West Tennessee, was taken into custody Tuesday morning, according to law enforcement officials.
Drummond’s arrest followed an intense manhunt that prompted a shelter-in-place alert for residents in Jackson, Tennessee, after the Jackson Police Department confirmed a sighting of the fugitive.
Police issued an emergency advisory stating:
“Due to the sighting of suspect Austin Drummond in the area of Saddlebrook Drive and Bridlepath Drive, please shelter in place immediately.”
Authorities also closed the area of Pleasant Plains and Country Club, warning residents to remain indoors, lock all windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel during the active search.
The search for Drummond had intensified over the past several days.
On Monday, Union University was placed on lockdown, and multiple law enforcement agencies were deployed to the area. Roads near Pleasant Plains Extension and Oil Well Road were also blocked off as part of the manhunt.
Drummond had been on the run since Tuesday of the previous week, when four members of the same family were found murdered in Lake County.
His vehicle was later located in Jackson on Friday, leading investigators to believe he remained in the area.
On Sunday night, Drummond was captured on a citizen’s home surveillance system in the 700 block of Pipkin Road. In the footage, he was seen wearing camouflage, carrying a rifle, and wearing a backpack.
One of the surveillance videos shows him attempting to open a door.
Jackson Police are urging residents to continue reporting any suspicious activity by calling 731-425-8400.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple University’s Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victim’s last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individual’s involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.