MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Saturday night on the downtown Memphis riverfront was rocked by the sounds of gunshots and quickly followed by sirens.
WREG has learned about a 15-year-old Trezevant High School student that was killed. A 16-year-girl also injured, and we’ve been told she’s physically going to be okay.
“It’s an awakening, we know that we have this issue but when innocent, young lives are taken it’s just more heartbreaking and it seems to be happening more and more,” said Jerred Price, President Emeritus of Downtown Neighborhood Association.
The shooting happened on the riverfront, as many were out enjoying the mild temperatures.
Jerred Price said when it’s known there are going to be large crowds downtown, extra law enforcement patrols and practices are put in place.
He said talks for additional help started after drag racing and cruising complaints downtown.
“Systematically shut down the downtown streets, they brought on a ton more officers that are normally in that precinct,” Price said.
But he believes the answer to tackling violence runs much deeper.
“There’s only so much we can say of ‘oh we need the police department to do more, we need the city to do more.’ They can only do so much,” Price said.
WREG is working to find out more information about safety plans from police.
So far, investigators have not provided information on the shooter.