MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An argument and shooting over whose gang territory a South Memphis store sits in landed a man in jail.
Police arrested Zorian Peggins, saying he shot four people for hanging out in his gang’s territory.
The Save Mart store on West Levi is a place where local people like to come and get snacks and drinks, but according to a police report, one local gang believes that area belongs to them.
“No, they don’t own the place,” said Tabatha Thompson
Shoppers would disagree, but police say Peggins thinks Save Mart is part of his gang’s territory. They’ve charged him with shooting four people in early May outside Patricia Johnson’s house on Ford Road.
“I was on the telephone and I heard a loud shooting, about 11 or 12 shots, and I was saying to myself ‘I hope nobody got killed’,” said Johnson.
All four people were rushed to the hospital, and are going to survive.
Police say it started at the Save Mart store when Peggins told the guys that the area was his gang’s territory and they needed to leave.
Peggins is accused of gunning them down when they were walking home.
“That’s bad. That’s really bad,” said Thompson.
The customers say they’re often anxious coming there because of drug dealing and gang members hanging in the parking lot.
“It doesn’t scare me. I’ve been working in here a long time,” said El Shugga, a clerk behind the counter.
Shugaa says he tries to be friends with everyone but calls the police almost every day.
“Police here too many times. Every day they come here four or five times if they’re hanging out.”
He says if people are hanging out in his parking lot for more than ten minutes, he calls the cops.
Johnson, who lives just down the street, wishes kids would stop joining gangs.
“It’s just not a good thing to be in.”
She doesn’t have to hear gun shots outside her front door.
“That was close. That was close. Real close.”
Peggins has been charged with four counts of attempted first degree murder. His bond has been set at $500,000.
