A man who intervened during an attempted robbery at a quick-service restaurant in the eastern quarter of Memphis will not be criminally charged. The authorities have identified the deceased individual, who was found near Wendy’s on South Highland Street, as Terrance Berry, aged 28. The decision against pursuing legal action was made by the region’s district attorney.
Just a short time before his life met an unfortunate end, Berry was released from incarceration. His life was one primarily consumed by incarcerations, as he was previously imprisoned for a murder that occurred almost a decade earlier. Berry’s reintroduction into society occurred merely a handful of months before this incident took place.
His initial crimes date back to when Berry was 18 and were severe enough to put him behind bars for most of his adulthood. It was due to a plea arrangement that his charge, initially second-degree murder, was commuted to voluntary manslaughter. This legal concession was relevant to his sentencing in Memphis.
The egregious event for which Berry was charged transpired on July 14, 2016. Octavious Key was discovered deceased in an Orange Mound apartment, succumbing to numerous gunshot injuries. The connection to Berry became clear a week following the crime.
Facing up to his actions and driven by an undisclosed motive, Berry surrendered to law enforcement after Key’s tragic demise. During his detention, he conceded his role in the fatal encounter, openly admitting his culpability in the shooting of Key. This admission led to the onset of Berry’s journey through the judicial proceedings.
Berry managed to regain his freedom sometime in the first month of 2025. Fast forward to a week before the recent incident at Wendy’s, Berry was said to have entered the fast food joint in East Memphis with an intention far from innocent.
In a bold declaration, Berry announced to the restaurant’s occupants his intention to rob the establishment. In an effort to exhibit his earnestness, he discharged a round into the restaurant’s rooftop. However, what Berry had not accounted for was the presence of an armed individual among the diners.
Berry found himself counteracted by this armed patron inside the restaurant. Apprehending the danger of the situation, Berry was fired upon by the armed patron, who acted in self-defence. Unfortunately, for the ill-fated would-be thief, he collapsed just outside the establishment.
Despite making it beyond the doors of Wendy’s, Berry’s escape was short-lived as he capitulated on the nearby street. Though officers quickly made attempts at emergency medical intervention, the would-be robber could not be resuscitated. His life was ultimately claimed by the injuries sustained.
According to legal provisions in the state of Tennessee, using deadly force can be justified if one reasonably believes to be at immediate risk of serious harm or death. In this scenario, the armed patron who shot Berry will face no charges due to this regulation, given his belief of imminent danger.
In response to the dire event, the Wendy’s outlet on South Highland halted its in-house dining services. Since the occurrence of the shooting, which took place on June 20, the restaurant has remained shuttered. This unexpected development has inevitably affected the operations of the eatery.
Regardless of the shooting incident, the fast-food outlet has managed to maintain a slim version of its services. While in-person dining is suspended for the unforeseeable future, the outlet has kept the drive-through window functional. Their resilience to keep operations partially live speaks to the McDonald’s commitment to serve its customers, even during challenging times.