Arrest made after fight leads to gun being drawn at Memphis Zoo
1 charged, another cited after argument escalates during ‘Tennessee Tuesday’
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Police arrested one person and issued a misdemeanor citation against another after a fight broke out at the Memphis Zoo and allegedly prompted a man to pull out a gun Tuesday afternoon.
The incident happened during “Tennessee Tuesday,” a day when admission to the zoo is free.
Officials say no shots were fired, no visitors were injured, and the zoo remained open during the investigation.
What happened
According to zoo officials, around 1:30, a “domestic argument” broke out between two visiting groups, and a man then allegedly pulled out a gun.
Officials identified the man as 20-year-old Kevin Nguyen. Memphis police booked him at the Shelby County Jail, charging him with aggravated assault and having a prohibited weapon.
Employees witnessed the altercation and notified an on-site Memphis police officer, who then intervened and called for backup.
Additional officers arrived at the scene and detained Nguyen and four women in total.
One of those women, identified as 20-year-old Alisha Johnson, is facing a misdemeanor citation for assault.
Nguyen remains behind bars as of Tuesday night.
Zoo security and patron reactions
A Memphis Zoo spokesperson told Action News 5 there are no metal detectors at the zoo’s entrance.
A sign on the ticket window states no firearms or weapons are allowed inside the city’s most popular tourist attraction.
“I’m not afraid of guns, you know, but… why would you bring a gun here for? See what I’m saying?” said Lewis Scott, a Memphis resident who was visiting the zoo.
Among hundreds of comments posted on the zoo’s Facebook page, one poster asked, “Are y’all going to add security measures such as bag checks or metal detectors?”
Another responded, “High time they did.”
Rachael Edwards wrote, “Metal detectors would be a great idea.”
Audrey O’Neill wrote, “The Nashville Zoo has metal detectors. I’m honestly surprised the Memphis Zoo doesn’t yet. It’s a good way to keep people safe.”
Zoo officials said they would not be doing any interviews because of the ongoing police investigation.
Zoo officials did say employees and law enforcement remain focused on maintaining a safe environment for guests and staff.
Past incidents
This is not the first time there has been trouble on a free Tuesday at the Memphis Zoo.
A flash mob caused chaos during spring break in 2010. The zoo canceled free Tuesdays in the month of March for years after that.
Attending Tennessee Tuesday now requires an advance reservation.
No task force present on 1-year anniversary of operation’s launch
The Memphis Safe Task Force was notably absent from the scene of Tuesday’s incident at the zoo.
Only Memphis police officers responded to the disturbance.
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