MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A parent faces charges of attempted murder and reckless endangerment after police say she fired a gun into a daycare in an apparent dispute with an employee Tuesday.
According to police, the woman arrived at La Petite Academy on New Allen Road to pick up her child. There was some sort of altercation with an employee over payments, and police said the building’s front window was shot out.
Police said there were children inside the daycare at the time, but no one was hurt.
Police later identified the woman who fired the shot as Daija Taylor, aka Daija Williams. She left the scene occupying a black Nissan south on Old Allen towards Hawkins Mill.
A warrant was issued for Taylor on two counts of attempted first-degree murder, 63 counts of reckless endangerment and employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
Taylor was not in custody as of 5:30 p.m. Police released surveillance video of the event, seen below:
La Petite Academy sent out the following statement:
Everyone is safe as the authorities are investigating an unprecedented situation early this afternoon involving a shot being fired into the front door. A parent became confrontational and verbally abusive during a discussion about her family not meeting attendance requirements to stay enrolled. Just after exiting the building, she came back and shot at the front door from the sidewalk. Thankfully no one was injured. Our staff immediately enacted our emergency protocols.
We have resumed our regular activities after briefly sheltering in place. As an additional safeguard, we will have security personnel on site until further notice. Nothing is more important to us than the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our school community.
The woman walked out of the daycare and then tried to get back inside but was unable to due to the front door being locked. She knocked on the door and then fired a single shot into the daycare, police said.
Lydia Cisaruk
Director of Communication – La Petite Academy
Police asked anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH.