OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. — A recent drive-by shooting in Olive Branch had law enforcement calling out Memphis and reminding people, “not in our town.”
“Any city of our size, close to a metro city the size of Memphis, faces its challenges,” said Olive Branch Police Chief Don Gammage.
Gammage was prompted by the drive-by shooting that rocked the Chateau Ridge subdivision earlier this week.
More than a dozen bullet holes in a home on Chateau Road served as a reminder that crime is everywhere.
Four of the six accused in the shooting were from Memphis.
“If you want to come to Olive Branch and commit a violent felony or violent crime we will deal with you,” said Gammage.
While officers haven’t said if the shooting was gang-related, one of the ways they’re combating crime in DeSoto County is with a gang task force composed of officers and deputies from the Sheriffs Department, Hernando PD, Southaven PD and Horn Lake PD.
“They address any gang problems. Anything that would arise in any of the agencies,” said Assistant Horn Lake Police Chief Danny Vasser.
The north Mississippi communities were not the only ones doing this.
The police chief of Covington, Tennessee said his force has formed a Gang and Violence Unit.
“Covington will not become like some areas of Memphis,” Chief Buddy Lewis said in a statement.
He said after receiving 50 shots fired calls since the first of the year, they decided to form the task force.
In less than a month, the department has made 98 arrests and issued 134 traffic citations.
“I think crime is anywhere no matter where you are,” said Jodi Lytle of Olive Branch.
She said she likes living by Memphis because it’s a big city, but does think the location brings crime to the area.
“It’s good in one way and bad in another,” she said.
Vasser said in order to cut crime being proactive doesn’t stop in DeSoto County.
“We do reach across state lines and share information with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department as well as Memphis PD,” he said.
Police have not released a motive in Monday’s drive-by shooting.
Each suspects’ bail was set at $1.5 million.
