MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Standing on Edward Mayhue’s porch, WREG’s Shay Arthur had a frank conversation with the 79-year-old.
“I really don’t know what to do about it,” Mayhue said. “I don’t know. Because if the law really cracks down and tries to stop them, then we get a lot of backlash on that, and sometimes the law gets overzealous.”
He’s talking about handling crime in the Glenview neighborhood in South Memphis where he and his wife live.
Video they showed WREG captured the moment dozens of bullets struck their neighbor’s home earlier this week, not once, but twice in one day.
The shooters were so bold, they came back after officers initially investigated. Four people including a 70-year-old woman and an 18-month-old little girl were injured.
Mayhue’s home, which he’s lived in for more than 50 years, was hit by the gunfire, too. The shooting came at a time when the nation is having tough talks about police and community relationships.
“I’m normally leery of the police, but I would not want to wake up without having a police presence,” Mayhue said.
Back out in the neighborhood the day after his neighbor’s house was shot up, WREG saw a patrol car drive by. But Mayhue said officers don’t usually get out and talk to people unless they’re responding to an incident, which is normally negative.
“They rarely get out, so we don’t see them necessarily as a part of the community,” he said.
He said there’s a need for communities to get to know the officers working within them.
“The members of the community will be much more willing to assist the police in policing the behavior of a lot of these characters,” Mayhue said. “But you can’t have a cop for every person now. Somebody has to take responsibility for their own behavior.”
Police are still looking for the person or people responsible for the shooting, including drivers of a Mercedes and a black G-wagon.
WREG asked police about community policing efforts. It is COVID-19 times, so there isn’t supposed to be a lot of interaction, but a spokesperson said officers are assisting with food banks and churches with food drives. They are also assisting with traffic control to protect those participating in protests.
WREG also reached out MPD to see if anyone could speak on camera about community policing, but so far we have not heard back.
