Neighbors near Westwood woke up to flashing blue lights and crime scene tape early Monday after Memphis police responded to reports of gunfire just before 5 a.m.
Officers were called to West Valley Circle near McClain Road, where they found evidence of a shooting. According to Memphis police, no victims had been reported, and there was no suspect information available as of early Monday morning. Detectives kept the scene active while they canvassed the area, collected shell casings and other evidence, and worked to piece together witness accounts.
As reported by Action News 5, MPD confirmed the pre-dawn call and said investigators are working to determine exactly what happened. The station noted its initial post went live at 5:48 a.m. and that police are expected to release more details as the investigation moves forward.
Westwood's Recent Violence
The early-morning scare comes on the heels of a string of violent incidents in Westwood and nearby southwest Memphis neighborhoods. In January, a shooting left a 14-year-old girl critically injured, as documented in coverage of a case titled 14-year-old girl critically injured. That earlier attack sparked fresh calls for stepped-up patrols and more community involvement.
Residents say the repeated gunfire has many people on edge, even on nights when no one is hit, while detectives keep chasing leads and trying to get ahead of the violence.
How To Help Investigators
Police are asking anyone who heard or saw anything near West Valley Circle around 5 a.m. Monday to come forward. Per the Memphis Police Department website, non-emergency tips can be called in at 901-545-COPS, and anonymous tips can be left with CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.
Officials also urge neighbors to hang on to any home-surveillance or dash-cam footage from the area and time of the incident and to contact investigators directly so they can review it.
As Action News 5 notes, more information is expected to be released as the case develops. We will continue to track updates from MPD and local outlets and add details when authorities share them.
