MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man says he had a gun pointed at him at a Memphis dog park after a couple said his dog was being too rough.
Mark Tye said it happened a week ago at Overton Bark off Poplar when the dog park was full of pets and people.
“These weren’t the normal people who come here. They were from out of town,” said Tye. “Their dog and my dog were playing, and obviously they don’t know how dogs play because when my dog was on top, they said she was aggressive, but when their dog was on top, they didn’t say anything.”
Tye said he called his dog, a Dutch Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix named Heidi, back to him. He said the couple’s dog still wanted to play with Heidi, so he let them play a little longer.
Tye said the woman became upset, and they ended up exchanging words. He said that’s when her boyfriend confronted him, went to his car, and brought back a gun.
“He was telling me to get loud on me now. I said I wasn’t getting loud with you. I was talking in the same tone I’m talking now,” Tye said. “I was thinking, is this guy really pointing a gun at me?”
Others in the park pulled out their cell phones and started recording the man with the gun. Andrew Buckner shared his video with WREG.
Buckner said he and the other pet owners couldn’t believe what had just happened. You can hear Buckner yelling at the gunman as he leaves the park.
“I probably shouldn’t have been laughing like I did, but I’m so used to seeing guns in Memphis,” said Buckner.
Tye said there were also children inside the dog park. Tye said deep down he didn’t think the man was going to shoot him, but it was still a frightening experience.
“Nobody wants a gun pointed at them,” said Tye.
Memphis police said they responded to an armed party at Overton Park, but officers didn’t locate anyone.
Tye and witnesses to the incident said they saw a patrol car driving around Overton Park, but officers never entered the dog park or took any statements.
“They drove through and never stopped and just kept driving,” Tye said.
Tye said the couple said they were traveling from Wisconsin to Florida. He said they left in a car without a license plate and likely left the area that day.
