A Tennessee man has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing a Memphis store owner, following an earlier physical altercation between the victim and his mother. Tony Curry, 29, faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and using a firearm with intent to commit a felony, according to Shelby County court records.
These charges were announced this week, although the incident occurred nearly two months ago on June 13. The altercation began earlier in the day at Tires Llantas, a shop located on Winchester Road in Memphis, between store owner Shaton Cobb and Curry’s mother.
The details of the disagreement remain unclear, but the woman reportedly “sprayed him with pepper spray,” which led Cobb to “push her to the ground,” as detailed in the complaint affidavit. After the confrontation, the woman left the store. However, a few hours later, a man—later identified as Curry—entered the shop and asked for Cobb.
According to authorities, when Curry was directed to Cobb, the two men spoke briefly before Curry allegedly pulled out a gun, shooting Cobb “several times” before turning and shooting another employee. Cobb was pronounced dead at the scene, and the second victim, who was shot in the legs, was rushed to the hospital.
The woman provided key information to investigators, identifying her attacker. When asked if she recognized the shooter, she immediately said, “He was the son of the lady who was at the shop earlier and sprayed Mr. Cobb.” Later, while at the hospital, the victim was shown a six-person photo lineup and “without hesitation” identified Curry as the shooter.
Court records indicate that Curry has a previous criminal record, having been charged in the summer of 2022 with unlawful possession of a weapon and vehicle registration violations. Curry is currently being held in Shelby County Jail without bond, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.