(Memphis) Family has identified 36-year-old Levi Watts as the man shot and killed on Mckellar in South Memphis late Wednesday night.
The shooting comes just 45 days after the Shelby County District Attorney declared the area a safety zone in the hopes of reducing gang violence.
“They took my brother’s life for no reason at all. The person who took his life, I would like to meet him face to face I want to ask him why did you take my brother’s life,” said Watts’s older sister Thursday.
Family said Watts was sitting in a car outside of his parents’ home, where he lived, when a gunman shot him.
Watts attempted to run, but his family said the gunman followed him and shot him again on a neighbor’s porch.
“He wasn’t out in the street, he was at the house and you come to the house,” said Watts’s sister, who didn’t want to her identity revealed.
Watt’s neighbor Anthony Hale was hoping the safety zone, where police could arrest gang members for associating with each other, would mean an end to the killing.
“Wish it would be a change because we have kids here and we would like to see them be able to come outside and play without worrying about them, something happening to them,” said Hale.
According to the Shelby County District Attorney’s office, one arrest has been made in the past 45 days by the Multi Agency Gang Unit.
Devyn Thomas was arrested after leading gang unit officers on a chase.
“If we have more police out here and they can’t stop this, what are we to do? If the police officers are out here on beat and this crime is still going on what can we do,” said Hale.
It’s not clear if Watts’s murder was gang related.
Police are still looking for suspects, asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 528-CASH.
