MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s been a frustrating 48 hours in Memphis. People are begging for change after three kids were shot just a day apart.
Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings said he’s using extra resources because enough is enough.
A new year is normally a fresh start, but for many in Memphis, the frustrations are pouring over.
“We lost 191 Memphians to murder,” Rallings said. “I’ve got two kids fighting for their life right now. Another family planning for a funeral.”
Of those 191 murders last year, nearly 10% of the victims were kids.
Less than a month into this year, and 10-year-old Jadon Knox was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting while outside playing.
“He passed away because of your stupidity,” Knox’s aunt Tawanda said. “You wanted to get out and do whatever you did out there, and you took his life. You took something that hasn’t even started. His life had not even begun.”
A day after Knox’s death, two more children were shot in Hickory Hill.
Community advocates fighting to keep kids safe are personally touched by the loss.
“When you hear stuff like that, it’s really personal because we see these kids in school, and we see them out of school,” said Ladell Beamon with the Heal The Hood foundation. “For us, it’s heart-wrenching, and you feel defeated sometimes.”
They know it’s time now to fight harder for the kids.
“The loss of one life is too many, but as a parent, the loss of a child due to this kind of senseless act is unconscionable,” Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said. “We’re working hard every single day to recruit and retain more officers and bring more good paying jobs to our city. Reducing violent crime and keeping people safe has been and remains our number one priority.”
Police said they won’t rest until justice is served.
“We’re doing everything we can do,” Rallings said. “We’ve deployed all types of resources. We’re going to continue to investigate this until we can bring someone to justice.”
So far, police haven’t made any arrests in the shootings. They’re asking anyone who knows anything that could help investigators to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.
