Dyersburg, Tennessee became the unlikely stage for violence over the Fourth of July weekend as a series of drive-by shootings targeted a fire station and a local business. Police have charged 41-year-old Phillip Allen McGuire with multiple offenses in connection with these incidents, Action News 5 reports. He is facing at least one count of felony vandalism and six counts of felony reckless endangerment.
The first of these shootings took place at the downtown fire station in Dyersburg where, according to the Dyersburg Police Department (DPD), bullets struck the building and the equipment inside while firefighters were present. In a separate incident, McGuire allegedly fired at First Choice Farm and Lawn, damaging two tractors. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from either location. WREG details that surveillance technology, including SkyCop, Flock, and license plate readers, played a crucial role in McGuire's identification as a suspect.
Reflecting on the unsettling event, Shift Captain Jack Cryer of the Dyersburg Fire Department told WREG, "It was sickening, it was very sickening to think we could have been ready to respond to a call and one of us could’ve been shot easily." Damage was still evident days later, with garage doors pierced by bullets and a fire truck's windshield broken. Meanwhile, Nathan Ward from First Choice Farm and Lawn is left contemplating the seemingly arbitrary attack on his store, stating, "After we saw the footage and everything, I couldn’t believe that someone would do something like that."
The shootings have not only caused emotional turmoil but also a significant financial impact. Ward estimates the cost to repair the damaged tractors at his business to be between $3,000 - $4,500 per tractor, an unwelcome expense for any local enterprise. "We’re looking at around $3,000 – $4,500 per tractor," he told WREG.
Motives behind the drive-bys remain unclear, but McGuire's actions have certainly left a mark on the Dyersburg community. Details on McGuire's booking or court dates were not immediately available at the time of reporting. FOX13 Memphis notes that he faces charges that include reckless endangerment and vandalism over $1,000.
