MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis man is facing serious charges including attempted murder after allegedly trying to rob another man following a game of dice.
Police have yet to release all of the details in the case, but we do know that on Wednesday, April 11, police were called to the Memphis Inn on American Way after a man’s body was discovered inside a dog pen. A trail of blood led from there to another crime scene on the second floor of the motel.
Inside one of the rooms were multiple shell casings, bullet holes in the walls and windows, and smeared blood on the floors.
Surveillance video from the previous day showed several men enter that room early in the evening. Sometime later, all of them- including the victim discovered in the dog pen dead – sprinted from the location as gunfire erupted inside.
According to two of the players, the night’s winner was counting his money when another player – Eric Bland- reached for the man’s gun. After getting his hand shoved away, Bland reached for his own weapon and fired at least once at the winner’s head.
That’s when the second man returned fire and everyone darted for the doors.
Bland denied the entire thing saying he did not have a gun. He was subsequently charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, attempted especially aggravated robbery and the employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
The identity of the shooting victim has not been released. It’s also unclear exactly who shot him considering he was seen running from the motel and both men opened fire inside the motel room.
If you can help, call Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH.