On April 9, 2025, 22-year-old Matthew Williams was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting as he attended a meeting at a program designed to prevent retaliatory gun violence in Memphis. 

Five other people were injured in the shooting.  

matthew demarcus williams
Matthew Williams

Howard Manis, Shean Williams, and Stephen Bush of The Cochran Firm Mid-South recently announced a lawsuit on behalf of Matthew’s family. 

Youth Villages, a Memphis non-profit that created the Memphis Allies program, was named in the complaint.  

The complaint alleges negligence and recklessness, citing the failure of adequate security and oversight during the event. The allegations are outlined in a civil complaint, and the organization has not been found liable in court. 

Footage of the deadly shooting was shown at the recent press conference on March 2, 2026. The video shows a car pulling into the parking lot followed by multiple people getting out of the vehicle and shooting into the lobby. 

“After all of the shooting ends, the one security guard who’s there walks outside to see what’s going on. That is the extent of the protection provided to the participants of Memphis Allies Hickory Hill location,” said Howard Manis.  

The complaint alleges that Youth Villages knowingly exposed participants of the program to danger by failing to provide adequate measures to protect them.