A community gathering in Bolivar, Tennessee descended into chaos on Saturday night when gunfire erupted at a block party, leading to two people being shot and multiple injuries, officials said.
The shooting took place around 11 p.m. on Madison at Bills Street, where "60 shell casings were recovered from the scene," District Attorney Mark Davidson confirmed. The two individuals who were shot suffered non-life-threatening injuries. In the aftermath, two suspects were taken into custody, FOX13 Memphis reports.
"This reckless behavior left many of our residents fearing for their safety, ducking and dodging bullets in their own homes. While the party was hosted on private property, it unintentionally overflowed into our city streets and spanned several blocks in the Frog Town community, blocking roadways, private drives, and business parking lots in the area," said Councilman Chris Williams, as reported by Local Memphis.
In response to the incident, Williams issued a call for unity and action among local leaders to prevent future violence. "Since becoming aware of these senseless acts of violence I have been in constant communication with Bolivar Police Chief Jones, Sheriff Doolen, fellow council members, and other local leaders to address the immediate aftermath and a plan for preventing such violence going forward. We must come together as local leaders to address these issues to ensure the safety and well-being of all Bolivar residents" he said.
Williams also emphasized that such disruptions are "unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our community." Furthermore, he acknowledged that many individuals who contributed to the violence came from outside Bolivar and Hardeman County, the aftermath of such recklessness is now a burden for locals to bear, according to WREG.
