MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three suspects attacked a 69-year-old man before stealing his car at the Valero gas station in the 1600 block of East Shelby Drive in Whitehaven Wednesday, according to the Memphis Police Department.
Surveillance video shows Odell Wright getting into his car around 5:45 p.m. when the suspects came up behind him and forced him out of the car, then began beating him.
It’s difficult to see in the video, but Wright told WREG one of the suspects pressed a gun to his stomach.
Wright said he was able to turn the gun around so that it was facing the suspects.
“It’s coward, man. It’s coward move, man. I don’t respect that,” said Jeremy Edwards, who was pumping gas at the same pump Thursday.
After a series of blows, the men force their elderly victim to the ground before jumping into his 2010 silver Dodge Avenger and taking off.
“They just targeting somebody that they figure that they can overtake, somebody that was weaker than them. It took three young guys for an old man. Yeah, I hope they get them,” said Christopher Alton.
“That’s sad ‘cause I can’t believe people would do that,” said Cristian Simo.
A mechanic, Simo was working on a car while the attack was happening, but he didn’t get a look at any of the suspects.
“I was on the opposite side, so the car was, like, blocking my view of everything, and I didn’t see or hear anything,” Simo said.
Police said the victim’s car had the tag 236-ZTQ.
No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at (901)-528-CASH.