CRIME

CBHS grad, 18, shot, killed at party in Cordova

Jennifer Pignolet, and Holly Weber
The Commercial Appeal
William Edward "Eddie" McDonald

William Edward "Eddie" McDonald was an 18-year-old young man with a new blue Ford truck and his first semester of college under his belt when he was killed Saturday night in the city of Memphis' record-setting 217th homicide of 2016.

McDonald, a Bartlett resident who graduated from Christian Brothers High School in May, was killed after an argument at a party at Country Squire Apartments in Cordova. At approximately 11:10 p.m., Memphis Police officers responded to a shooting call at the apartments on Glen Park, where officers found McDonald suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to a statement from police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph, the preliminary investigation revealed two males and one female were denied entry to the party. The statement says an argument ensued, the suspects walked away and then began shooting at those inside the party.

The suspects fled the scene in a white vehicle. Police have not arrested anyone in the case.

"Eddie was well-liked by his peers and teachers," Christian Brothers said in a statement. "He was an honest and respectful young man who fully enjoyed his time at CBHS.”

His mother, Dena McDonald, said Eddie was the youngest of her three sons and was studying criminology at Southwest Tennessee Community College. He wanted to be a police officer, and possibly one day a federal agent.

"He wanted to help people and let them know there's good cops," she said.

Southwest released a statement sending thoughts and prayers to the McDonald family Sunday evening. "No words can describe how sorry we are to learn of his passing," the school said.

Earlier Saturday, the family was celebrating the engagement of John McDonald, one of Eddie's brothers.

"... my day went from the best day, to the absolute worst in a flash," he said in a post on Facebook.

Dena McDonald said Eddie played football for Christian Brothers, played recreational basketball in Bartlett and was friendly with everyone.

"His smile lit up a room, and he was always just fun," she said. He'd recently completed a community service project through their church, where he was involved in a youth group.

"He just made everyone laugh," she said.

His death sets a new record for Memphis with 217 homicides and a few weeks left to go in the year. Before this year, the most homicides in the city was 213 in 1993.

Services are pending.

Memphis Homicide Tracker