MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A North Memphis neighborhood dispute ended with a truck fire, bullets flying and an injured bystander who is recovering from a gunshot wound.
Memphis Police responded Sunday to a vehicle on fire in the 2700 block of Northmeade. When they arrived, they found the truck still burning and a man in the driveway, shot in the leg.
According to police, Charlie Patterson had been involved in a dispute the day before with a neighboring family, though details of that incident were not available.
They say Patterson set the truck on fire, then hid and waited for his victims to come out of the house to put out the fire. Victims told police they heard gunshots and saw Patterson lying in wait.
The men involved are locked up at 201 Poplar and are facing a long list of charges – including attempted murder. Court documents state that this started on Saturday, but those involved told us this story dates further back than that.
A woman who chooses to remain anonymous says that Charlie Patterson — with whom she has a history — showed up to her aunt and uncle’s house on Sunday and lit her truck on fire.
“I was in my bedroom,” said the woman. “My kids woke us up. They were beating on the door saying our truck was on fire.”
You can still see soot and shattered glass. “We were basically ripping and running like ants trying to grab this and grab that to put the truck fire out.”
Some people pulled over and tried to help. That’s when gunshots reportedly came from the fence, and one good samaritan was shot.
Police later charged Patterson with aggravated assault and attempted murder.
Reports show that Patterson was also convicted of attempted murder in 2005, and he was out on bond for another incident in which he was arrested for being a convicted felon with a gun.
