MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police say a man armed with a gun demanding money is disturbing neighbors in the normally peaceful Cooper-Young neighborhood.
Kristen Thomas says she received a chilling warning from her neighbor.
“This gentleman was sitting on his front porch in his porch swing and the guy approached him in his yard,” Thomas said. “He told us to be careful ,and that someone had approached him and asked him for food, and then pulled a gun on him when he told him he didn’t have anything to help him out.”
She says when her neighbor questioned the man, he backed off.
“The guy kind of backed off and said it was a joke. And I just don’t know what to think about that,” Thomas said. “It was just kind of shocking and then at the same time kind of not. We do live in Memphis.”
Memphis police say the same thing happened to two other people in the neighborhood earlier this week.
Sunday morning, police say a victim at the intersection of Cooper and Walker Street told them a man approached him asking for money, and when the man said no, the suspect pulled out a silver gun and demanded the victim’s wallet.
Reports say the suspect took $80, gave back the wallet, and left.
Monday morning, a victim near some apartments on Young Avenue claimed the same thing happened to him.
The suspect allegedly threatened the victim with a small silver handgun and told him to hand over his phone and wallet. According to reports, the suspect got away with $20.
He reportedly tried to CashApp himself $500, but the transaction failed.
Neither of the victims was injured.
Police say it’s believed the suspect is the same person in both incidents.
They released photos of the man and said he’s 6-foot-1 with a mustache, goatee and tattoos above his eyes and on his forearms.
It’s unclear if this suspect is the same person who robbed Thomas’ neighbor, but she says she’s going to be on high alert moving forward.
“Crime knows no neighborhood,” she said.
If you recognize the man in the photos, you’re encouraged to contact Crimestoppers at 528-CASH.
