A violent altercation on the streets of South Memphis led to a stabbing and a shooting incident earlier today, leaving both men hospitalized. According to Action News 5, a driver was shot and his passenger was stabbed after what began as a ride-share turned violent.
Memphis Police Department responded to the 1200 block of Pond Street after receiving a distress call around 1 a.m. The driver, discovered by a homeowner and suffering a gunshot wound, had entered the open door of the residence. During the mayhem, the driver gave the homeowner a knife, claiming it was used to stab the other individual involved, as reported by FOX13 Memphis.
Originating from an encounter at the Greyhound bus station, the two men found themselves entangled in a dispute that escalated quickly. The passenger, after being picked up from work, requested that the driver stop the vehicle at the intersection of Pond Street and East Trigg Avenue. "The driver said the passenger got out of the car, left, came back and fired three shots and then ran away," according to police statements obtained by Action News 5.
In a twist of events, both men gave conflicting accounts of what transpired inside the 2020 Jeep Cherokee. While the driver claimed he was defending himself against an armed passenger, the latter alleged that the driver became aggressive after his sexual advances were rebuffed. "The passenger tried to leave but the driver became aggressive with him and stabbed him in the back of his right shoulder," the passenger told officers, as reported by Action News 5. The passenger confessed to shooting the driver in the ensuing scuffle.
Both men were taken to local hospitals, with the driver's gunshot injury described as non-critical and the passenger's stab wound to the shoulder blade. While the gun used in the shooting was not recovered, Memphis police continue their investigation into this incident, as shared by WREG. Neither suspect had been interviewed again at the hospital following the initial confrontation, and no charges have been announced at this time.
