MEMPHIS, Tenn. – People living in a senior living facility in Whitehaven reached out to WREG-TV and expressed their concerns about crime in their community.
“They literally sleep on the floor at night. Some of the residents sleep on the floor at night because they’re scared,” said a healthcare worker at Wesley Graceland Gardens in Whitehaven, who doesn’t want to be identified.
She says she’s worried about what could happen to residents if random shootings in the neighborhood.
“There’s been times where they had to drop to the floor because there was shooting outside,” the healthcare worker said.
She believes shots are coming from two neighboring apartment complexes, in what she calls, an “excessive amount” over the past two months.
“Me personally, I’ve called the police on more than one occasion to come over. I’ve called 911,” healthcare worker said.
She was unable, however, to give specific dates, making it difficult for us to request incident reports from MPD.
“It’s happening every night, every night, we getting tired of it,” a resident of Wesley Graceland Gardens said.
But the resident, who didn’t want to be identified, says police were called just a few days ago.
“They started off at 10 or 11 that night and when the police come over there and check it out and everything, then they’ll stop shooting. When the police leave they’ll start all back over again,” the resident said.
He said shell casings are often found on the street near the gates of the complex. He would like to see more police on patrol and a greater effort at getting illegal guns off the streets.
He feels like seniors are caught in the middle and are afraid to even go outside to socialize.
“You can’t enjoy yourself. When you sit out here you gotta keep watching your back lookin’ over to see if somebody gonna shoot a gun take a car carjack somebody stuff like that,” the resident said.
UPDATE: Memphis Police responded after this story ran, saying:
We are aware of the concerns the Wesley Graceland Gardens complex. Our Raines Station has constant Directed Patrols for both the Peppertree Apartments and Wesley Graceland Gardens. In addition, our Raines Station Task Force routinely conducts enforcement activities in the area as well. Furthermore, the gun violence in that area is the very reason it was chosen for last weekend’s CommUNITY Walk Against Gun Violence. Hillcrest High School was the staging area where the walk started and ended. This location is directly across from the entrances to the Peppertree Apts. and the Wesley Graceland Gardens complexes.
