​Memphis-born professional basketball player Lagerald Vick has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, according to court documents dated July 8. The charges also include one count of using a firearm with the intent to commit a felony. An affidavit from the Memphis Police Department details the incident that prompted the arrest. Officers responded to a “shooting with persons struck” call at Regional One Hospital in the early hours of July 5. The victim, Carlos Funzie, reported that he was attending a party on Madewell Drive in North Memphis when a man with a handgun tucked under his armpit approached him and spoke to him verbally. Funzie attempted to defuse the situation and turned away, but the suspect allegedly fired a single shot, hitting Funzie in the back and pointing the handgun at him before fleeing the scene.
Vick, who turned 29, was born in Memphis and committed to play college basketball at the University of Kansas in May 2015. During his senior season in 2018, he achieved a notable feat, becoming the first Jayhawk in program history to make eight consecutive three-pointers without a miss. His college career was followed by a leave of absence in February 2019 for what was described as “personal matters.” Afterward, in December 2019, he joined the Yulon Luxgen Dinos of the Super Basketball League in Taiwan and subsequently played for various international teams up to April 2024. Vick’s bond for the alleged charges has been set at $1.5 million.
This report is being provided by The Commercial Appeal and its journalist team, including Jack Armstrong, who covers breaking news and the environment. Armstrong can be contacted at jack.armstrong@commercialappeal.com, and the publication can be followed on X @jca2902. The initial coverage of Lagerald Vick’s charges originally appeared in Memphis Commercial Appeal as part of the publication’s ongoing reporting.