Memphis experienced a sharp escalation of violence at a local business that triggered a police chase crossing state lines, culminating in multiple arrests. Reporting on the incident, Memphis Police Department stated that yesterday evening, officers arrived at the Smile Mart located at 704 Waring Road responding to a reported shooting, discovering two male victims in desperate need of medical attention, one suffering from a gunshot, and the other bearing injuries from a physical altercation, though both were in non-critical condition.
According to Memphis Police Department, the investigation revealed that the victims had ventured to the area with the intent to purchase drugs, but upon arrival, three individuals lured them into a nearby business at 702 Waring Road, turning the interaction violently coercive; this encounter ended with one victim shot and another assaulted when they resisted an attempted robbery, as the situation swiftly deteriorated into a skirmish and the perpetrators fled in a black SUV as law enforcement arrived, prompting an interstate chase that was eventually brought to a halt with the collaboration of Southaven Police Department, capturing the suspects in the 8600 block of Swinnea Road.
Apprehended and held in Mississippi, the suspects face serious charges for their actions in the Smile Mart incident, named in warrants as Said Awad, 41, Hmalda Saleh, 26, and Ayed Khawaf, 34; Awad faces an array of charges including Especially Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a Handgun, Saleh is charged with Especially Aggravated Robbery, while Khawaf has been hit with Especially Aggravated Robbery, and like Awad, with Convicted Felon in Possession of a Handgun.
The Memphis Police Department is continuing its investigation into the Smile Mart altercation and the events leading up to the robbery attempt, intending to understand the full scope of the crime and the interactions between the accused and the victims.
