The Memphis community is at the heart of a controversial judicial decision that has seen 30-year-old Detawn Gunn released on his own recognizance after being charged with multiple counts of attempted second-degree murder. Gunn, accused of wounding four people during a shooting outside Railgarten, a popular Midtown venue, was released from jail without bond, a move that has sparked criticism from both the Shelby County District Attorney and local lawmakers.
We argued for a bond of $500,000. We believe the suspect should still be in jail considering one of the victims was shot in the back. We’re confident justice will prevail and the defendant will be held accountable.#offenderaccountability #Memphis #publicsafety pic.twitter.com/nzr8JKXFQF
— Steve Mulroy (@SteveMulroy901) August 27, 2024
According to Action News 5, the district attorney, Steve Mulroy, expressed his disappointment with the ruling, stating that his office had asked for a bond to be set at $500,000. The accusations against Gunn stem from an incident that occurred on August 16, when a dispute over a parking spot reportedly escalated to violence, resulting in the four individuals being shot. Court records confirm that Judge Bill Anderson permitted Gunn's release on Monday.
The case has drawn attention to the judicial system's bail-setting practices, inciting reactions from political figures such as State Sen. Brent Taylor, who has criticized the decision and vowed to investigate the handling of the case further. "I will be getting to the bottom of why this person was released on his own recognizance and why my new law prioritizing safety of the community was not applied correctly," Taylor said. Taylor argues that the suspect should be considered a threat to public safety, as reported by FOX13 Memphis.
Adding a personal perspective to the case, Corey Coleman, one of the shooting victims, recounted the events to WREG. The Dallas resident was in Memphis for work and visiting Railgarten with his family when the altercation occurred. "Shots in the rib, the back, stomach. I got staples all the way across. Whole back ate up here and the back of the head," Coleman described the severity of his injuries. He also mentioned how his son managed to obtain the suspect's tag number, which later proved instrumental in Gunn's identification and arrest.
As the legal proceedings continue, all eyes will be on Gunn's next court appearance scheduled for September 3.
