MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police found a man and his 10-year-old nephew suffering from gunshot wounds Monday night outside the Davey Drive apartments in Frayser.
Police said when they arrived, Jeremy Townsel advised them that he and his nephew had both been shot in the right leg after an argument with their neighbors.
Townsel told police that they were arguing with their neighbors because their children were not getting along.
Police said that while the adults were arguing, an unknown adult pulled out a handgun and fired shots in their direction, hitting both Townsel and his 10-year-old nephew.
This 10-year-old is among the more than 131 children shot so far this year. Last year, 134 children were shot and that was a hospital record.
It’s the thought looming over our city and minds of many today.
Senseless gun violence with another child becoming a victim is the thought looming over many i the city of Memphis.
“It really hurts because they truly are our most innocent, our most vulnerable. They don’t realize how much danger that child was potentially in last night,” SCS’s Michelle McKissack said.
The shooting happened just hours after SCS Superintendent Dr. Joris Ray posted an open letter to parents, saying he’s sounding an alarm about an increase in violence in our city and schools.
“When Dr. Ray made this call yesterday, it was purely out of frustration that Shelby County Schools we need help for our children. It’s going to take the entire community to provide the support that the children need,” McKissack said.
Support they say will need to come from families and other community organizations if we are going to protect our youngest Memphians.
It’s a sentiment shared by doctors as they are treating near record numbers of children for gunshot wounds.
In most of those cases children are not the intended target.
Both Jeremy Townsel and his nephew were taken to Regional One and Le Bonheur’s Children Hospital.
Police are investigating and have not made any arrests in this case yet.
WREG will update with more information as it becomes available.
