MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Another violent weekend in Memphis has left at least nine people shot. In one of those cases, five people were shot in Westwood, and one of them died.
Things may look back to normal outside an Exxon gas station off South Third Monday, but what happened early Sunday morning has left some rattled.
“I got almost right there, and I heard pop, pop, pop, pop, and I seen fire comin’ from that car,” a witness told us.
Memphis Police said while five people were shot at the gas station, all of them were taken to the hospital in private vehicles. One person died.
We’re still questioning police about a possible motive, but this is just another case that has left many frustrated by gun violence.
Memphis City Council Chairman Martavius Jones said he’s frustrated and disappointed by the gun violence, blaming the availability and access to guns not just in the Mid-South but nationwide.
“This is a Memphis issue, this is a Tennessee issue, this is a United States issue,” Jones said. “There are no number of police that can overcome the availability of guns.”
While the details around the person accused of pulling the trigger in this case are unclear, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland has been open about his pushes for greater accountability when committing violent crimes as well as access to guns left in cars.
“We have to corral somehow just this open availability of guns, or this is just going to repeat itself,” Jones said. “Our hands are extremely tied to do something about it. Because the minute we would do something about it, someone would run to Nashville and say, ‘Well, they are infringing on our First Amendment rights.'”
If you know anything about the shooting, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.