MEMPHIS, TN – Police are searching for a suspect after a teenager was shot while riding his bike last week in South Memphis.
On Nov. 1, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the 1600 block of Mississippi Boulevard just before 5 p.m.
Police said the boy was riding his bike when someone fired multiple shots at him. He was taken to the hospital but later died from his injuries.
He is the 29th child to be killed in Memphis this year, according to police.
“If 29 babies don’t make our community mad, I don’t know what’s go do it,” said community activist Stevie Moore.
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital has treated 123 patients for gunshot wounds so far this year.
Dr. Regan Williams is the hospital’s trauma medical director. She says since the beginning of the pandemic they have seen a rise in patients who were injured in shootings.
“When you take a group of individuals that are already tired from trying to treat respiratory and you put on top of that really injures that are preventable, it becomes even more frustrating and sad,” Williams said. “I really think that it’s an adult’s job to take care of children and to keep them safe and clearly not all of our children are safe right now, so we really have to work together.”
In an effort to better support patients, Le Bonheur launched an intervention program aimed at supporting victims of violence.
As for Moore, he is demanding that the community hold those in power responsible for the violence.
“Why we not asking our state representatives, city council, county commission? Why we not asking? Why don’t we change some laws?” Moore said. “Why, cause we ain’t changing none. We just accepting the fact, that’s why our babies are dying.”
MPD is still searching for the suspect(s).
If you have any information, please call CrimeStoppers at 528-CASH.
