MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Another business, locked up, closed after gunfire took another life.
What started as a robbery at a Citgo on Cherry Road Thursday afternoon quickly turned to another homicide in Memphis.
John Graham works across the street and isn’t shock ed at all.
“They found a body in the sewer right down here, had a shooting over here, had an officer killed in that apartment complex down there. Around this neighborhood, it’s common,” says Graham.
So how do police fight the crime?
Here’s what we know about the murders:
- Of 33 homicides so far this year, in 20 of the cases, police say the suspect and victim knew each other.
- Twenty-three of the homicides have been solved.
- Eleven arrests have been made.
- Twenty-nine cases involved a gun, and six were domestic violence.
- Five are believe to be gang related.
- Six of the crimes involve juveniles; 4 are victims an 2 are suspects
“Again it’s a crime we cannot predict. It may be a crime of passion. Domestic violence may lead to homicide,” says MPD Deputy Chief Sharonda Hampton.
It’s why police say the public has to help when they notice anything.
“We have to do our part as citizens in this city to make sure we are reaching out to our neighbors and to our law enforcement,” says MPD Deputy Director Mike Ryall.
But what about crime prevention?
Police say they are still using data-driven crime fighting, targeting high crime areas with saturation.
Now they say get ready for an enhanced approach based around the community.
“We are calling that the New Blue Crush. We are still going to get out. Officers will still have boots on the ground fighting crime, but we will be reallocating those officers in some of the hot spots as we see fit,” says Hampton.
Some still wonder just how much that will change.
“They arrest them, by the time police fill out the papers, the criminals are walking out the door with them. Unless the court does something, there is nothing they can do about it,” says Graham.
That’s something even police mentioned, the need for stronger legislation to help them get and keep criminals behind bars.
