MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A violent weekend in Memphis has some calling on city officials to take this growing problem more seriously.
Several of the six shootings happened in Orange Mound, but locals say they aren’t getting nearly as much attention as the Beale Street beating and the Kroger mob attack. They say this problem deserves as much attention from City Hall as the other incidents.
“A lot of residents and citizens are afraid, ” council member Wanda Halbert said. “We’ve gotten afraid of our own children. Afraid of our own neighborhood and communities.”
Halbert is very concerned. She represents this area on City Council, and she wants answers.
“We all keep talking about the fact that crime is happening, but we are not talking about any solutions to ending the crime,” Halbert added.
There have been endless meetings in the wake of the Beale Street beating and the Kroger mob attack, but violent crime isn’t slowing down.
Earnest Jennings in Orange Mound says the problems start at home, and spill out into the streets.
“Maybe if we do a better job of being Christians and parents, the children will act better,” he said.
Halbert agrees, but she also wants to see the mayor and police director have more of a presence at neighborhood watch meetings in the troublesome spots around town.
“We don’t see the mayor and all government officials walking our neighborhoods. We need to see you in our communities,” she said.
But Jennings believes it starts from the ground up. If the people take control of their neighborhoods and show a commitment to cleaning them up, the city will follow.
He says it’s going to take more than words.
“Prayer and work,” he said.
Usually after a violent weekend like this weekend, the mayor or police director will call a news conference. WREG reached out to talk to Director Armstrong Monday, but he was not available.