The Memphis Police Department (MPD) reported that the city had a violent Christmas Eve and a violent Christmas Day, including four homicides.
MPD officials tweeted about one shooting homicide that occurred at 2:26 a.m. Saturday at the 1000 block of Haynes Street. Authorities transported the shooting victim to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, where staff pronounced him deceased. MPD officials said they had no information about a suspect.
Less than one hour prior, MOD officers tweeted about two additional homicides.
“At 1:52 am this morning, officers made the scene of a shooting at I-40W/Chelsea. Two males were pronounced deceased on the scene and one female was xported to Methodist critical. There is no suspect information. The investigation is ongoing,” according to the tweet.
On Friday, Christmas Eve, MPD officers tweeted that they arrived at the 3300 block of Steve Road in response to a shooting. Authorities transported the male shooting victim to Memphis’ Regional One Health facility, where staff later pronounced him dead. Officers provided no information about a suspect.
On Halloween, Memphis had a similar violent weekend, including three homicides.
Also in October, vandals in Memphis defaced two Geico Insurance billboards at Interstate 40 eastbound with “defund the police” messages.
The group responsible was called INDECLINE. Group members said they believe that reducing the role that police play in people’s daily lives would benefit their safety.
According to its website, INDECLINE defines itself as “an Activist Art Collective founded in 2001 comprised of graffiti writers, filmmakers, photographers and full-time rebels and activists. INDECLINE focuses on social, ecological and economical injustices carried out by American and International governments, corporations and law enforcement agencies.”
Officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee recently gathered with Memphis stakeholders and announced the “Better Community Summit,” they said, to reduce violent crime.
Beginning in 2022, organizers are scheduled to hold four workshops in the areas of North Memphis, Whitehaven/Westwood, Hickory Hill/East Memphis, and Orange Mound/South Memphis.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Crime Scene” by Tony Webster CC BY 2.0.
