Two-mile ‘unity walk’ Nov. 14
urges halt to gun violence
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A two-mile “unity walk” to demonstrate widespread community concern about gun violence will take place on Saturday morning, November 14, 2020 — with all Shelby County Health Department coronavirus protocols in place.
The march is sponsored by 16 well-known organizations in the city. It will begin with an assembly with appropriate social distancing at 9:30 at the Juvenile Court and Forensic Center parking lots (Poplar Avenue and New Orleans Street). The walk will end at the same location, and Memphis Police Department personnel will provide traffic safety along the route.
The event comes at a time when certain felony crimes, especially those involving guns ands other weapons, has hit epidemic proportions.
The concern is shown not just in statistics, but also in calls for change and help. For example, an unusual $50,000 fund was announced by the U.S. Marshal’s Office for information concerning eight murders of children this year (see story below).
Unity Walk organizers are hoping for hundreds of participants Nov. 14 and are asking that people “pledge to protect” the community by reporting crimes, seeking peaceful solutions to differences, keeping an eye out for the vulnerable in neighborhoods, particularly children.
Protective facemasks must be worn by marchers. A rain date is set for Nov. 21.
The walk’s partners/sponsors, besides CrimeStoppers, include Alliance Healthcare Services, F.F.U.N. (Freedom From Unnecessary Negatives), Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Lifeline to Success, Memphis Shelby Crime Commission, Moms Demand Action, Peppa Williams (APW Agency), Shelby County Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center, SafeWays, Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, Soulsville Neighborhood Development District, UT Health Science Center and the Shelby County Health Department.
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Three extra awards are posted
in one week asking help
in solving murders and arson
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A $6,000 award is now available to anyone who can provide information leading to an arrest in the killing of Herman Wright. He was shot in the morning hours as he sat on the porch of his home on Preston Street in south Memphis. Wright was 59 years old, a father and brother. The family’s $5,000 award has been added to $1,000 available from CrimeStoppers funds.
Meanwhile, the owners of a drug-testing lab on Madison Avenue in Midtown have offered $5,000 for information that can break a case of multiple incidents of arson and vandalism of the business. If someone comes forward with details leading to an arrest the $5,000 is ready to be paid.
And, $50,000 in cash awards has been posted by the U.S. Marshal’s office in the unsolved deaths of eight children since the beginning of this year in Memphis. The funds come from confiscated funds in felony cases.
The Marshal’s office has joined with the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office in the effort.
“It is my sincere hope that this reward helps compel individuals to come forward … for these families who have had to deal with the sudden and violent loss of a child,” said U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller.
An award up to $5,000 (to be paid by the U.S. Marshal) is available in each of these cases:
- Jadon Knox, age 10, was killed by gunfire on January 19 from an unknown vehicle while standing on the front porch of a residence in the 700 block of Josephine Avenue.
- Ashlynn Luckett, age 6, and Lequan Boyd, age 16, were both shot on January 20 when gunshots entered a home in the 6800 block of Kirby Mills Cove.
- Hilda Trejo, 9-months-old, died from inflicted trauma on January 22 at a home in the 4600 block of Willow Road.
- Jalen Dodge, age 17, was shot in the roadway on March 18 in the 1600 block of Sunset Street.
- Tyrell Jones, age 15, was shot in a vehicle on May 7 in the 4000 block of Barron Avenue.
- Alajah Reynolds, age 16, was found shot on July 11 in a vehicle in the 3100 block of E. Glengarry Drive.
- Demetrius Robinson, age 17, was shot on September 3 in the 3800 block of Elvis Presley Boulevard.
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Tipsters help solve
2 more murders
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Information from members of the public provided enough evidence for police to make three homicide arrests with cash awards approved in October. That makes 10 homicide cases solved with the help of tips in 2020 so far.
James Barrett was wanted in the slaying of a man at Airways and Park in March. On October 24 a tipster called with the fugitive’s location and he was arrested.
A month earlier a tipster identified Kimberly Ayers as the getaway driver in the shooting. She too was arrested and charged with first degree murder.
In September Randal Cardwell was sitting in his delivery truck at a Jack Pirtle’s Chicken restaurant on South Bellevue when he was shot several times and died at the scene. A surveillance photo was released to news outlets.
Three days later a tip to 528-CASH said that someone looking like the man in the released photo was at that moment in a house on Tally Place. There police arrested Tanner Bolding. He gave a statement admitting to the murder.
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CrimeStoppers
by the numbers
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Twenty felony cases were successfully presented before the CrimeStoppers Awards Committee for the month of October.
The cases included three individuals arrested in two homicides, two attempted homicides, two child rape cases and several aggravated assaults stemming from domestic violence.
The 20 cases included the arrests of 24 individuals and Memphis police were able to close 15 criminal cases. A total of $9,950 was awarded for the month.
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Websites continue
to build awareness
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CrimeStoppers and its many programs are explained - and the public is engaged - in various places on the internet
Our main website explains the organization's purpose, and keeps count on major cases in which police need help from citizens -
A companion site helps students keep their schools safer - trustpays.org
Senior citizens who are afraid or otherwise need help can find information they can use at another site - seniorbsafe.org
Because the theft of copper and other metals has become a major problem in the metro area we launched CopperStoppers -
Now the public can view the list of current fugitives, including photos on our newest site -
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