MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The shooting that sent a 13-year-old girl to the hospital Sunday also sent bystanders on Riverside Drive ducking for cover.
One man, who asked to remain anonymous, believes one of the bullets came very close to him.
“I heard a whizzing kind of go by my face,” he said.
Multiple witnesses tell police they heard six gunshots around 7:15 p.m. at the corner of Riverside and Monroe.
“I don’t know how close it was to me but I heard a little bzzz, like a little buzz sound somewhat close and that’s when I got down and ducked down,” said the man.
As the bullets whizzed by, one hit a 13-year-old girl in the stomach.
Witnesses told police she was there with her family to ride scooters when several men in different vehicles started shooting at each other and a stray bullet hit the victim.
“I just saw the cars zoom by and I didn’t know who was shooting what or what but I saw the three cars zoom by,” said the witness.
In addition to the white 1994 or 1995 Ford Crown Victoria police say they’re looking for, he said he also saw a black Dodge Charger and red pickup truck speeding away from the scene.
Sunday’s violence is just a foreshadowing of what some fear may be to come as temperatures rise and more people flock to Riverside.
“People going to the park, weather’s breaking, it’s only gonna cause more havoc,” said Downtown Neighborhood Association President Jerred Price.
Price is asking for police to increase patrols in high-traffic areas during peak hours. He also wants the city to end its weekend closures of Riverside Drive which he says is causing tempers to flare on other downtown streets and could lead to more violence.
“All the traffic being forced into the city, I mean, there’s a lot of road rage downtown. I witnessed a road rage incident just the other day on Front Street,” said Price.
The city didn’t respond to WREG’s questions about the closure of Riverside.
At last check, the injured girl was still in critical condition at the hospital.
Police are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 528-CASH.
