Memphis task force arrests 19-year-old charged in fatal April 2025 shooting in Soulsville area

Arrest announced months after toddler’s death on Josephine Street

A multi-agency law-enforcement task force has arrested a 19-year-old man accused in a shooting that killed a 2-year-old child in April 2025 in the Soulsville-area community near Orange Mound, authorities said.

The suspect, identified as Jalen Thomas, was taken into custody on October 28, 2025, during a coordinated operation in the 1000 block of South Lauderdale Street. The arrest followed an investigation into a shooting on April 11, 2025, in the 700 block of Josephine Street, where a 2-year-old boy was struck and later died from his injuries.

What investigators say happened on April 11, 2025

Police were dispatched to Josephine Street shortly after 1 p.m. on April 11, 2025, after reports of gunfire. The child was transported to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in critical condition and later died.

Two days later, family and community members held a vigil on Josephine Street, identifying the child as Jamarion Love’ll Payne. Relatives said he had been outside playing when shots erupted near the intersection of Josephine Street and Carnes Avenue.

Charges filed in the case

Thomas faces multiple charges tied to the April 2025 shooting, including:

• First-degree murder
• Criminal attempt first-degree murder
• Employing a firearm with intent to commit a felony
• Two counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon

Authorities have not publicly detailed the alleged motive or whether the child was an intended target. No trial date information was included in the arrest announcement.

How the arrest fits into a wider enforcement surge

The arrest comes amid heightened enforcement activity in Memphis involving federal, state and local partnerships that combine warrant service, fugitive apprehension and proactive patrols. The broader operation has produced thousands of arrests and traffic citations since fall 2025, an increase that local officials have acknowledged is adding pressure to the county jail and court dockets.

The criminal case will proceed through the court system, where charges remain allegations unless proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Memphis police and partnering agencies have continued to urge anyone with information about violent crimes to come forward through established tip channels as investigations move forward.