As the plague of senseless violence has continued to overtake the country, any and every gathering of more than a few people has become a possible target.
From schools to malls to Super Bowl victory parades, few public places and events have been untouched by the ravages of gun violence.
On Saturday, a neighborhood block party in Tennessee suffered a similar fate, with a large crowd being scattered by a barrage of bullets.
The Memphis Police Department informed residents of the incident in a social media post late Saturday night, saying the shooting occurred while 200 to 300 people were attending a party at the 2400 block of Carnes Avenue. The party occurred without a permit, police said.
Officers responded at 7:19 p.m. and found seven gunshot wound victims, the department said on X.
Two men were pronounced dead at the scene.
Three of the five who were injured were taken to the hospital in critical condition, according to police.
If you have any questions, please call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH. pic.twitter.com/LYq282B02i
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) April 21, 2024
The department posted an update early Sunday saying a total of eight people had been shot, with six injured — only one of whom remained in critical condition.
***INVESTIGATION UPDATE*** pic.twitter.com/cYMUB4mPpX
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) April 21, 2024
Local news station WREG-TV reported Monday that one more victim had been located, bringing the total to seven injured and two dead in the shooting, which it said happened at Orange Mound Park.
C.J. Davis, interim police chief of Memphis, said officers knew of at least two people suspected of opening fire during the party.
The department announced a $15,000 reward for anyone who might have information on the possible shooters, according to WMC-TV.
“We already have received some video footage and are looking for those responsible,” Davis said during a news conference, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young shared a statement on X denouncing the violence.
Is violence out of control in American cities?
“There are no words that can adequately express the pain we are all feeling over this most recent act of senseless violence — where guns were brazenly brought to a park filled with young people, families, and children,” the Democrat said.
“And there are no words to express the frustration of having to use the qualifier ‘most recent’ when speaking of the violence in our community,” he said.
“This must stop,” Young said. “The violence must end.”
Prayers for our City. pic.twitter.com/HvEnGSgHzC
— Paul Young (@mayorpaulyoung) April 21, 2024
While some of his statement seemed like the boilerplate talking points every politician rehashes when a tragedy has occurred in his jurisdiction, Young was on to something.
No one alive today could miss just how many ordinary events have been disrupted by senseless bloodshed.
Block parties, schools, sporting events, movie theaters — all of these venues have become targets for punks with a gun and a grudge.
Considering that many of these shootings have occurred in Democrat-run cities like Memphis, it should have become clear by now that even the strictest gun control laws have little effect on this rash of violence.
Even people innocently sitting in their homes could catch stray bullets from thugs firing at one another in some of these crime-ridden areas.
And the soft-on-crime, strict-on-self-defense measures of Democrat-run cities have done nothing to alleviate this scourge of violence.
More than that, though, something has gone fundamentally wrong in American culture when these incidents become frequent occurrences.
Unfortunately, until that has been identified and remedied, ordinary citizens will continue to fall prey to acts of senseless violence like the one that disrupted the Memphis block party.
