Memphis community wants action after violent weekend
by: Jordan James
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Four people are dead and two people were injured after six separate shootings across Memphis. As investigators search for leads in these cases, frustration continues to set in for many across the community as they deal with the impact of gun violence.
As they search for answers, customers like Glendoria Pinkney are on edge.
“We’re gonna have to value life more and let people know that their lives are valuable,” Pinkney said. “It has some values and worth to it.”
This weekend proved to be busy for Memphis Police, after officers responded to three more shootings that left two men dead and a woman in the hospital fighting for her life.
The most recent data from MPD shows there have been 108 homicides this year. Currently, the city is on pace to possibly surpass last year’s record of 346 homicides.
In a statement to WREG, Memphis Police said in part, rising homicide rates are affecting jurisdictions across the county.
Rising homicide rates are affecting jurisdictions across the nation. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, the United States recorded its highest increase in rates of homicide in modern history.
Locally, the Memphis Police Department has taken a proactive approach to reduce crime in our community. We’ve seen positive strides in crime reduction since standing up the SCORPION Unit, the Auto Theft Task Force, and the Fugitive Unit. For example, we have seen a 1% decrease in murders from this time last year.
Additionally, through our COP Unit, Clergy Academy, and the Family Safety Center, we are working to strengthen relationships in the community. While these are steps in the right direction, we still need more community involvement. We need more churches to get involved with initiatives like the Better Community Summits and host domestic violence prevention seminars, de-escalation and conflict resolution classes, finance and job prep courses, job fairs, etc. When more people work together to provide these wrap-around services, we can address the root problems and deliver solutions that positively impact our community.
Meanwhile, back out at the Hickory Hill shopping center where the aftermath of a shooting remains, Pinkney is calling on city leaders to do more to address the violence.
“We need to be speaking up, asking our city officials to sit down with us,” Pinkney said. “We don’t know what the answer is, but I think if we all sit down together and have conversations, it would be helpful.”
If you any information about these recent shootings, call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.
About Post Author
