MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The search continues for a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting young females in South Memphis, and one Memphis-Shelby County School Board member says more should have been done to protect the community.
Since March, Memphis Police have been investigating an unspecified amount of incidents in which students claim they were abducted and sexually assaulted at gunpoint. One of the latest incidents occurred recently.
“I think it’s about two at this point, including, the recent one. I know there was an attempt to grab one young man and he was able to get away,” said Frank Johnson, a Memphis-Shelby County board member who oversees the district where the incidents occurred.
This week, Memphis Police announced they are partnering with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI to try to solve the case, which has prompted additional law enforcement in the community, which Johnson said is long overdue.
“There should have been a higher microscope put this when it first happened because if this happened in certain other ZIP codes, there would have been a full police presence right out the gate,” said Johnson. “I’m real frustrated because what’s going on in our society. We’re preying on children now. Our children are not safe and just shows you that’s there’s problem going on with the society at large.”
Investigators said the kidnapper is driving a dark-colored SUV. Many residents are on high alert following the string of attacks.
“It’s scary we gotta send our kids to school and not know if they’re gonna be alright,” said one concerned parent.
As the community anxiously waits for him to be captured, Johnson wants more to be done moving forward.
“It’s gonna take something tragic to get people to say, ‘Hey look, this is not it.’ We have to do something better than what we’re doing right now. We cannot neglect these neighborhoods; we cannot neglect these students that live in the neighborhood,” said Johnson.
School board chairwoman Althea Greene said Thursday morning that neighbors, parents and the community needed to come together to keep kids safe in South Memphis.
“Parents are going to have to step up, they’re going to have to stand outside, stop allowing those young ladies to walk to school alone. They need to walk in groups,” Greene said.
Despite Memphis Police asking for the community’s assistance with the case, they have declined to provide additional information or make anyone available to speak.
