MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Bullets flew down the street and into a neighbor’s house in a shooting Sunday night outside a short-term rental house in Midtown.
Neighbors say they heard a loud party at the house on Ashlawn, near the Poplar and Hollywood intersection, around 11 p.m. A witness told police he had been there earlier shooting a rap video.
One woman, who didn’t want to be identified, heard three rounds of gunfire, before a bullet pierced a living room window, ricocheted off a glass cabinet and hit a picture hanging on another wall.
“It was loud and scary,” she said.
In video captured by a neighbor’s security camera you can hear the shots fired.
A neighbor said they have been contacting AirBnB and police since last July about issues at the short-term rental houses in the area. Airbnb said the listing had been suspended while they investigate what happened.
In July, one person was killed and another injured when someone open fired at an Overton High School graduation party on Felix in the Cooper-Young neighborhood.
Over the last two years, police responded to at least a half dozen shootings at vacation rentals in the Midtown area including four that were fatal.
People who live on Ashlawn said they were on edge.
“It’s pretty unsettling. It’s a very quiet neighborhood. So, very unexpected,” said the neighbor.
Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis released this statement about the shooting:
“The safety and well-being of our citizens is our top priority. Gunfire in our community is unacceptable, egregious and will not be tolerated. We understand the distress that incidents like this cause, and I want to reassure our residents that the Memphis Police Department is actively investigating this Airbnb location to achieve sustainable results. We are working closely with the Shelby County DA’s Office to identify measures to address this nuisance property. Our investigators and legal team are fully committed to resolving this matter, and we will continue to keep the community informed as we make progress. We are here for you, and we remain dedicated to ensuring a safe environment for all.”
A member of the neighborhood watch said the out-of-state owner of property told her he plans to sell it.
No one was hurt in the shooting. If you have any information that can help police with their investigation, call CrimeStoppers at (901)528-CASH.
