MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis’ police chief promised heightened law enforcement presence downtown after a mass shooting this weekend that wounded eight people as cars spun out in a busy intersection.
WREG obtained video footage from the mass shooting that occurred Downtown early Sunday morning.
MPD says the shots rang out shortly after midnight Sunday. A large crowd gathered at B.B. King Boulevard and Peabody Place, just one block off Beale Street, as several people were driving recklessly.
While trying to contain that scene, a Memphis Police officer was assaulted. A shot also was fired into the window of a nearby hotel.
Chief CJ Davis addressed crime in the area in a Facebook post over the weekend, saying, “There will continue to be a heightened law enforcement presence in the Downtown area to curtail these senseless acts of violence. It is our commitment to bring bad actors to justice to maintain a safe environment in the downtown area for all.”
According to Memphis Police, the following were injured and transported to nearby hospitals for treatment:
- A 24-year-old male transported to Regional One Hospital
- A 54-year-old male transported to Regional One Hospital
- A 37-year-old female transported by private vehicle to Regional One Hospital
- A 31-year-old female transported by private vehicle to Regional One Hospital
- A 20-year-old male transported by private vehicle to Regional One Hospital
- A 19-year-old female transported to Methodist Central by private vehicle
- A 28-year-old male transported to Baptist Desoto by private vehicle
- A 31-year-old male transported to Methodist South by private vehicle
Police said two of the victims were in critical but stable condition, while the others suffered non-critical injuries. All eight victims are expected to be okay, and some have been released from the hospital.
Investigators collected several shell casings from the northeast corner of the intersection. Police said none of the victims were sure who fired the shots, or why.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Monday he was outraged and disgusted by the incident, and urged people to call Crime Stoppers if they had information on the shooters.
As the search for the suspect or suspects continues, the Downtown Memphis Commission is examining its protocols. Paul Young is the president of the DMC and a mayoral candidate.
“We are working very, very hard to prevent incidents like this from happening in the future. We will not give up. We know that Memphis is a great city and we have allowed a very, very small percentage of bad actors to define who we are that is not who Memphis is,” Young said.
Among the things being proposed is increasing a law enforcement presence on weekends and changing traffic patterns to prevent drag racing. These are changes that residents say is needed following this mass shooting.
“I wanna be able to come down here and enjoy myself and walk around and just live life. How can I live life when I got to think about am I go get hurt while I’m doing here?” said resident Waltrrean Hubbard.
Strickland said there was a previous traffic plan in place to reduce drag racing and reckless driving near Beale Street, but he said the plan was dropped after pushback from bar owners in the area. He said it needs to be reinstated.
No arrests have been made and there is no suspect information as of Monday.
If you have any information on this incident, call 901-545-COPS.
