Tragedy struck a block party in Memphis, Tennessee, late Saturday night as two individuals lost their lives and at least 14 others sustained injuries in a shooting incident. The Memphis Police Department reported that three of the injured were in critical condition, with 11 more arriving at hospitals via private vehicles. As of now, there is no update on the conditions of the victims.
The shooting occurred at a gathering where approximately 300 people had assembled. A total of 16 individuals were shot during the event, as revealed by the police during a news conference on Saturday evening. Law enforcement officers were dispatched to the scene at 7:19 p.m. CT, where they found five victims with gunshot wounds. Tragically, two males were pronounced dead at the scene, while the other three were rushed to local hospitals.
As of Saturday night, no suspects had been apprehended in connection with the shooting. Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis stated that it is believed at least two individuals were responsible for opening fire at the party, although the motive behind the violence remains unclear. Davis emphasized the department's commitment to identifying the perpetrators and urged anyone with information or footage of the incident to come forward and assist in the investigation.
The investigation into the tragic shooting is ongoing, with the police having obtained video footage from the scene to aid in their search for the culprits. This incident adds to the alarming tally of over 115 mass shootings reported in the United States this year, as documented by the Gun Violence Archive. The archive defines a mass shooting as an event in which at least four individuals, excluding the shooter, are shot.
