Murder Indictment Returned in Karma Lounge Shooting
JACKSON, Tenn. – A Jackson man now faces a first degree murder charge in connection with the deadly shooting at the Karma Lounge in February. Travis Lamonte Steed, 31, was originally charged with aggravated assault in the shooting. The new charge comes as the result of a grand jury indictment. Steed was also indicted on charges of felony murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and felon in possession of a firearm by the grand jury, Tuesday. Steed is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence at Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville for a 2005 possession of cocaine and 2006 reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon charge, both of which occurred in Jackson. Police said Steed’s sentence will expire in 2017 on those charges. He had been released on parole in June 2011. The investigation determined that eight months later he committed these crimes in the Karma shooting. Around 2:00 a.m. on February 26, Jackson police responded to a shooting at Karma. Officials said their investigation has shown that the shooing started behind the DJ booth as Steed, 31, pulled a handgun and confronted a 22-year-old Memphis man. Two college students were standing near the man allegedly confronted by Steed and were both placed in fear as he pointed the gun. Steed then allegedly fired into the group. Two people returned gunfire in self-defense and shot Steed multiple times. LeCarlos Todd, 19, of Memphis, was standing near the group and suffered a fatal gunshot wound. A total of 17 other people were struck by bullets and bullet fragments during the exchange of gunfire. They were all treated and released from Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. Steed was airlifted to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis in critical condition. He was released from the Memphis hospital on March 8 and initially charged with two counts of aggravated assault and felon in possession of a firearm. Steed was sent back to prison on a parole violation. Jackson police continued the investigation and submitted evidence to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab. Police said a ballistic analysis by a firearms expert has confirmed that a bullet from Steed’s gun struck and killed Todd.
