MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis couple said their daughter was attending a high school graduation party at a short-term rental in the Cooper-Young area Sunday night when someone fired at the house, killing one person and injuring another.
Gary Johnson said the party was for Overton High School grads, and his daughter planned to spend the night at the rental on Felix before someone drove by and opened fire. Police have since released video of a white 2012 Chevrolet Traverse fleeing the scene.
Johnson said he received a frantic call from his daughter around midnight.
“She dived to the floor and called me,” said Johnson. “Screaming and hollering that someone was shooting, so I rushed over and saw all the chaos.”
Johnson said his daughter was sitting on the front porch and noticed a vehicle circling the area and ran inside the house right before the shots were fired. He said his daughter didn’t know the person who was killed, but her friend was wounded.
“It’s ridiculous. My daughter can’t even have fun. Kids can’t have fun,” Johnson said. “The Overton guys just graduated. It’s crazy.”
Neighbors say the home where the shooting took place has been a short-term rental for a while, but it has never been a problem before.
Johnson and his wife returned to the Cooper-Young house hours after the shooting to get their daughter’s purse and luggage, but no one was there. Someone had cleaned up and covered the glass in the front and side doors with moving blankets.
Over the last eight months, police have responded to at least a half dozen incidents at short-term rentals in the Midtown area, including two more deadly shootings.
Johnson said he thought his daughter was in a safe area. He said his daughter didn’t know who rented the house for the night, and they were just grateful she wasn’t hurt.
“She woke up crying this morning, but she’s all right,” he said.
Airbnb told WREG that the property at this address had not been rented out via its platform when this incident happened.
WREG story archives show we’ve covered at least six shootings that involved parties at short-term rental houses in Midtown since October:
- Oct. 15: 1 dead in shooting, 2100 block Madison
- Nov. 8: 1 injured in shooting, 2000 block Carr
- Jan. 1: 1 injured in shooting, 1000 block New York
- Feb. 13: 1 dead in shooting, 2100 block of Harbert
- March 16: 1 dead, 3 injured in shooting, 800 block of Roland
- July 1: 1 dead, 1 injured in shooting, 2000 block Felix
If you have seen the vehicle in the video or have any information about the shooting, call Memphis CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.