Detawn Gunn, the man charged in the August 2024 shooting outside Midtown’s Railgarten, is out of jail again and heading back to court, reopening a bitter fight over bail that has simmered in Memphis for months. Gunn posted bond and was released from custody ahead of a scheduled Shelby County court appearance Friday morning. The Aug. 16, 2024, confrontation outside the Central Avenue venue left multiple people wounded and has stayed in the local spotlight as prosecutors and judges clash over how high-risk defendants should be handled before trial.
According to WREG, Gunn’s release followed a recent hearing, and he is due back before a Shelby County judge Friday morning. Local officials told reporters that public court documents detailing the updated bond arrangement were not immediately available.
Charges and what police say
Memphis police say Gunn is accused of opening fire outside Railgarten on Aug. 16, 2024, hitting several people and spraying nearby vehicles with birdshot, according to affidavits and related reports. He is charged with multiple felonies, including attempted second-degree murder and firearm-related counts, as reported by Action News 5. Investigators have said the violence followed an argument over a parking space and that they linked a gray Lexus to the scene.
Back-and-forth over bail
The case has turned into a running battle over the bond. A judicial officer first set a high bond, prosecutors pressed to keep that amount in place, and at one point, a judge released Gunn on his own recognizance, only for a higher court to revisit the move. The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said it filed an emergency writ and welcomed a later ruling that reimposed bond, and earlier coverage noted prosecutors had pushed for a 500,000 dollar bond. As outlined by the Shelby County DA and contemporaneous reporting, the dispute over Gunn’s release has become a flashpoint in the larger debate over how Memphis judges set bail in violent cases.
Railgarten fallout and local reaction
The shooting and the legal roller coaster have also cast a shadow over Railgarten itself. The Cooper-Young entertainment complex has closed, and the property was listed for sale earlier this year, a development reported by the Memphis Flyer, which noted the site’s mix of food, live music, and outdoor recreation spaces. Local leaders and the District Attorney’s Office publicly blasted the earlier no-bond release in 2024, folding the Railgarten case into a broader public safety conversation about who should be allowed back on the street while awaiting trial.
What’s next
Gunn is scheduled to appear in Shelby County court on Friday morning, where the judge is expected to clarify the current bond terms and map out the next steps in the case. In the coming days, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and court staff are likely to update the docket, and reporters will be watching for any changes to the charges or Gunn’s custody status.
