MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A mother is thankful her son is alive after his car was shot at on Interstate 40, near Jackson Avenue, on Saturday night.
“He said he just heard a big popping sound and he felt something hit his seat,” his mother, Patrice Williams said.
According to her son, a bullet came through his window while he was driving home from work.
Williams say this wasn’t road rage and appears to just be random violence.
“He was just bawling,” Williams said. “He said ‘I am terrified.’ He said this bullet literally rested right where my neck was at.”
Memphis police say they are currently investigating 13 incidents on Memphis interstates and highways but did not clarify if this situation was one of them.
The department launched ‘Operation Safe Travels Two’ last month after seven highway shootings happened in less than 30 days.
Just last year, there were 46 reported shootings on the Memphis highway and interstate system.
This year, authorities say there have been 11 highway shootings. A Cordova man was also arrested Tuesday in a possible road rage shooting near Hacks Cross and Shelby Drive.
Williams says her son, who works in law enforcement, saw an officer just a couple of exits before the shooting.
“Can we realistically put a police officer at every exit? No. I’m sure they’re doing their absolute best.”
Williams says this situation has opened her family’s eyes to violence on the roads.
“We have really gotten out of our bubble that this can happen to us. It doesn’t matter that we’re good people, that we’re productive members of society. It doesn’t matter that we’re doing the right things, evil can invade our personal space.” Williams said.
