MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three auto sales employees were arrested after being accused of pulling weapons and threatening to harm several people following a dispute on Tuesday.
The incident happened at Gaston Auto Sales at 2020 Airways Boulevard.
According to police, there was an undisclosed dispute between at least one customer, and Timothy Gaston, David Brannan and Darry Atkins, that led to the three men pulling out guns and threatening harm.
A total of seven people were inside the business at the time and all of the victims stated they were scared the three men would shoot them.
One woman who doesn’t want to be identified said she was one of seven people threatened Tuesday.
She said she went there to buy a car, and says when she arrived to car shop, one of her sons was already there, contesting the repossession of his recently purchased vehicle.
“My son had just got his car two weeks ago. It was not time for a payment and they came and repoed his car,” she said.
She says another group of dissatisfied customers was also there and complaining about the business’s repossession practices. She says employees started hurling insults and derogatory comments about their sexuality.
Things got heated and three employees drew their pistols.
“It was three men out there. It was two black men and there was a white man. They upped guns on us and said, they was gonna shoot my sons,” the woman said.
Police made the scene and questioned all three men inside the sales office, placing owner Timothy Gaston and repo man David Brannan in custody. But according to the police incident report, Darry Atkins refused to come out of the sales office. He was finally talked out and taken into custody.
Police found a total of eight weapons at the business, including a shotgun and body armor.
Wednesday the business appeared to be closed. A woman we were told is an employee refused to answer any of our questions.
None of the seven people were injured. Timothy Gaston told officers he is a convicted felon, charged with a 1996 robbery.