Prominent Memphis Pastor Ricky Floyd shot dead during altercation with woman outside bar

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Thursday, March 13, 2025

Ricky Floyd, a distinguished pastor in Memphis, Tennessee, well-known for his community-building and folks empowerment expertise, was shot useless throughout an altercation with a lady exterior a bar Wednesday morning, in line with police. He was 58.

Officers discovered Floyd, senior lead pastor of Pursuit of God Church in Frayser, useless exterior Momma’s Bar and Kitchen positioned at 855 Kentucky Highway, the Memphis Police Division introduced in an announcement. 

Police say they have been referred to as to the scene at 1:17 a.m., Wednesday. They later recognized the caller as 42-year-old Samantha Marion, who has since been charged with voluntary manslaughter.

Earlier than the capturing, Floyd and Marion had an argument within the bar, in line with Police data cited by Fox13. Witnesses allege the argument led the 2 exterior the enterprise the place the pastor grew to become “irate and aggressive.”

Video surveillance footage reportedly reveals Floyd throwing Marion’s telephone and a beer can earlier than hopping into his car and driving away. Marion allegedly walked into the roadway and appeared to document the pastor’s car along with her telephone. Floyd exits his automotive and confronts Marion earlier than a witness separates them. As Floyd backed away, police mentioned Marion walked towards the pastor, who was seen falling to the bottom and by no means getting up once more. Marion later referred to as police and advised them she shot the pastor.

“It’s with nice disappointment that I deal with the tragic lack of Pastor Ricky Floyd from the Pursuit of God Church in Frayser. Pastor Floyd was a revered chief in our neighborhood, each in Memphis and past,” Memphis Police Division Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis mentioned in an announcement Wednesday. “We perceive the deep shock and grief this has precipitated, and our hearts exit to Pastor Floyd’s household, his congregation, and all who knew him.”

Davis mentioned the circumstances surrounding the pastor’s loss of life are “nonetheless underneath investigation” however they’ve sufficient to cost the suspect for voluntary manslaughter.

“We’re totally dedicated to making sure that justice is served because the authorized course of continues,” the chief mentioned. “We encourage anybody with further data to come back ahead as we proceed our efforts.”

Floyd leaves behind his spouse, Sheila, three grownup kids, one daughter-in-law and two granddaughters, in line with the church’s web site. The pastor is listed as the motive force behind a number of neighborhood initiatives.

He additionally served as president of Eden Estates Flats, a 52-unit complicated within the Frayser neighborhood; and president of The Husband Institute, Inc., a boys-to-men mentoring program and the founding father of the Faculty of Marriage Enhancement.

“We might love for individuals to recollect him as a real servant. He was a transformative chief. He reworked the Fraser neighborhood,” Floyd’s media liaison Telisa Franklin mentioned in an interview with The Christian Put up Thursday. She famous his household and church are nonetheless in shock about his passing.

“, this (Fraser) is a really poverty-stricken neighborhood. He created what we name Black Avenue Wall Avenue, with the strip mall,” Franklin advised CP. “He made certain he owns the residence complicated the place we’re capable of home individuals with inexpensive housing. … He was really a pacesetter that cared about God, his household, and the individuals. … He would at all times exit of his technique to see and to serve another person.”

Memphis Mayor Paul Younger lamented the “mindless violence” that led to the pastor’s loss of life in an announcement on X.

“My coronary heart is greater than heavy at present as we mourn the tragic lack of Pastor Ricky Floyd to mindless gun violence. Pastor Floyd was a beloved chief, good friend, mentor, and servant to our metropolis. He devoted his life to lifting up others and guiding numerous souls together with his knowledge,” Younger mentioned.

“His loss of life is greater than a loss for his household and his congregation — it’s a loss for Memphis. Gun violence in our metropolis has taken too many lives, shattered too many households, and left too many communities in grief. This should cease. We can not permit mindless violence to outline us. We should stand collectively — neighbors, leaders, regulation enforcement, and religion communities — to carry significant, lasting change,” he added.

“I ask each Memphian to wish for Pastor Floyd’s household, his congregation, and all who’re hurting. Let’s transfer into motion. Let’s work collectively to construct a Memphis the place tragedies like this are not a every day actuality. We owe it to Pastor Floyd, and we owe it to one another. Relaxation in energy, Pastor Floyd. Your gentle is not going to be forgotten.”