A television interview about crime reduction efforts in a Memphis park with a neighborhood resident was interrupted by a drive-by shooting happening in the area.
Just as Yolanda, a resident of the Whitehaven neighbourhood in south Memphis identified only by her first name, was introducing herself to the camera, a number of gunshots rang out nearby.
Yolanda and the television crew dove to the ground, where Yolanda could be heard saying: “It’s okay. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Just stay down and get down.”
The entire incident was captured on film by ABC24. After the shooting stopped, Yolanda could be heard comforting the reporter who was breathing heavily out of the frame.
“It’s okay, James,” Yolanda could be heard saying. “Thank you Lord for the blood of Jesus that covers us. Thank you Father for the blood of Jesus.”
After another moment, Yolanda determined that the danger had passed.
“Alright,” she said. “We should be alright.”
Yolanda then asked whether the incident was a drive-by shooting and identified a “black car” as having been on the scene. No one was hurt in the shooting, which was reportedly aimed at an apartment building, and police have not yet made any arrests.
ABC24 aired the footage of the incident after it was over, with the network’s Richard Ransom mentioning that bullets had struck the building of a fellow news outlet several weeks ago.
“I fear it’s only a matter of time before some station’s crew does get hurt,” Ransom said. “Doing an interview, in a park, at 11am, should not be dangerous.”
