A teenage boy fell victim to gun violence in South Memphis on Friday, stirring the community’s ongoing concerns about the prevalence of gun-related incidents. The 17-year-old was shot in the 500 Block of East Mallory Avenue, an area that became rapidly cordoned off by local law enforcement as they commenced their search for evidence, reported FOX13. The shooting call to Mallory and Lauderdale was made at exactly 2:11 p.m., and the first responders were quickly to arrive on the scene.

The Memphis Police Department has yet to release detailed information about the shooter or the circumstances leading up to the incident. Per a concerned local resident who asked to remain anonymous, the sound of gunshots was enough to send neighbors into a state of alarm. "I came out here. I saw an ambulance. I saw fire trucks," the resident recounted, according to an interview obtained by FOX13. The witness also expressed uncertainty and dread, saying "did somebody die? Did somebody get shot?"

Simultaneously, Action News 5 reported that after police responded to the distressing scene, the wounded boy was transported in critical condition to a hospital. The distress is evident in the community touches a familiar nerve, one that reverberates with the pain of gun violence that buds too often in South Memphis and beyond.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and authorities are appealing to the public for assistance. Anybody with information pertinent to this case is encouraged to reach out to Crime Stoppers, as affirmed by the Memphis Police Department: "Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH," a statement provided to Local Memphis detailed. As a community waits for answers, local leaders and activists are likely to, yet again, demand actions to staunch the bleeding caused by gun violence.