Arkansas - In the early hours of Friday morning (8/1/2025), a group of 5 individuals attempted to forcibly remove an ATM from the 7-11 Exxon convenience store at the intersection of Northfield Blvd. and Lascassas Pike, here in Murfreesboro. The suspects used a sledge hammer to crash the giant plate glass window open. Detectives are still reviewing video and trying to determine if the thieves were armed. A man at the scene, who happened to be armed, fearing for his life, pulled his pistol and fired at the suspects. One fell to the ground, and the other 4 fled quickly. The man who went down, was later prounced deceased by paramedics. Authorities now confirm the deceased male is 23-year-old Tyrese Walder of Texas.

Murfreesboro's Real Time Crime Center 

The surviving suspects fled. Later through a series of vehicle switches, they sped away, triggering a multi-state manhunt. A statewide alert was issued. Thanks to Murfreesboro Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center, that vehicle was identified using license plate reader software. Arkansas troopers were tracking the vehicle traveling west on I-40 near Little Rock. 

Arkansas State Police intercepted the suspects, made a traffic stop, and took the four men into custody without incident. Early reports suggest the group had ties to criminal activity across Texas and Tennessee, including previous theft attempts involving financial institutions. Arkansas police surmize that the four males were heading home to Texas. 

Authorities are coordinating with Texas law enforcement to determine the full scope of the suspects’ backgrounds. Extradition proceedings are underway, and officials confirm that all four face a wide range of charges, including attempted robbery.

Real-Time Crime Center Was Amazing

Murfreesboro's Real Time Crime Center played a pivotal role in swiftly arresting the suspects, underscoring the power of technology in modern policing. Murfreesboro officials praised the seamless collaboration between state agencies, calling it a victory for public safety.

As you recall from earlier WGNS broadcasts, the attempted theft occurred at the 7-Eleven Exxon store on Northfield at Lascassas Pike. Eyewitnesses reported a chaotic scene as five masked men used a guy wire attached to a stolen pickup to pull the ATM from its base. As tensions escalated, one suspect allegedly pointed a weapon at a customer, who was armed, discharged his firearm, striking Walder. Emergency services pronounced him dead at the scene. This all began in the 5:00 o'clock hour early Friday morning (8/1/2025).

Legal experts are now analyzing the shooting under Tennessee’s Stand Your Ground statute, with many calling for increased clarity on civilian use of lethal force during crimes in progress. As investigations continue, community leaders urge vigilance and cooperation as law enforcement works to keep similar incidents from repeating.

DISCLAIMER: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The arrest records or information about an arrest that are published or reported on NewsRadio WGNS and www.WGNSradio.com are not an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed.