Arkansas State Football Hopeful Kevion Davis Arrested After Teen Girl’s Death

Content warning: Gun violence. Kevion Davis is one of two teenagers arrested for an alleged shooting that killed a 16-year-old girl and injured another child after a basketball game in Tennessee on Friday, according to WREG in Memphis. Christine Michael was headed home from a game at Ripley High School with other three teens when someone opened fire on their car. Michael was shot in the back and killed, and a 13-year-old was injured. 

Davis, 18, and Bishop Owens, 16, were arrested. Both are students at Haywood High School and were on the football team. Davis, who is a defensive lineman recently committed to Arkansas State, but the school said that he was not accepted to the school and was not made any official offers, according to KARK.com. Davis and Owens are charged with first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder since there were four people in the car during the shooting. 

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“But I can tell you it’s just a group of young people who were angry at each other for whatever reason and the only way they knew, or the best way they knew to solve the problem, was to grab guns and solve it and that’s not the answer,” Haywood County Sheriff Billy Garrett said.

Davis appeared in court on Monday and is being held without bond. Owens is being held in a juvenile facility. Garrett said Michael caught a ride home with some guys and should have been in the car with someone else. “Christine was a promising student who had tremendous plans for her future and we are deeply saddened by her passing and the brilliant life that was extinguished Friday night,” said Haywood County Schools Superintendent Aimie Marsh.

According to Davis’ Twitter account, his 2022 season was cut short due to a torn ACL. Different colleges reportedly contacted Davis before he made his commitment to Arkansas State earlier this month. “First I want to thank God for giving me this opportunity, to play next-level ball,” Davis wrote in the Twitter post. I never thought I would be here today to sign with only playing four games out of 14, but I beleive in God and those blesses came. …For the next 3-4 years, I will bd taking my talent to Arkansas State University! Wolves Up.”