Afternoon traffic on Poplar Avenue in Collierville got a jolt on Tuesday when multiple callers reported shots fired, triggering a quick police response and a tense search for a suspect vehicle. Within a short time, officers had stopped a car, detained two people, and recovered a 40-caliber handgun. Collierville police said there is no ongoing threat to the public as investigators work to piece together what happened.
Officers were dispatched around 2:30 p.m. after reports that people inside a black Ford Focus were firing shots near the Bank of Bartlett on Poplar Avenue. Police later spotted a vehicle matching that description and pulled it over near the intersection of Winchester and Byhalia, where two suspects were taken into custody, and a 40-caliber handgun was found, according to WREG.
As of Tuesday afternoon, officers had not confirmed whether anyone was hit, and they were checking with nearby hospitals for possible gunshot victims. Investigators have not released the names of the suspects or announced any charges while the case remains open, as reported by AOL.
What police say
Collierville Police stressed that there was no additional threat to the public after the traffic stop and detentions. Officers and detectives remained on the scene, collecting shell casings or other physical evidence and taking down witness accounts to sort out who did what and when, per WREG. The department said the investigation is active and ongoing.
Where this happened
Poplar Avenue is one of Collierville’s main east-west arteries, a stretch where daily life means a steady churn of commuters, shoppers, and school traffic. The town’s own reports list several Poplar intersections, including Poplar and Byhalia, among its top crash locations in recent years. That mix of heavy traffic, nearby retail, and schools means any incident on Poplar can quickly ripple across local roads and businesses, drawing multiple units and clogging an already busy corridor.
Past incidents along Poplar
Memphis police logs show Poplar has seen its share of violent crime, including earlier aggravated assaults and shooting reports along different portions of the corridor. One Memphis Police Department bulletin from January details an aggravated assault at 1336 Poplar Avenue, where a suspect pulled a handgun, according to the Memphis Police Department.
What to watch next
Collierville investigators are still processing evidence and working through witness interviews. Police have asked anyone with security footage, cell phone video, or other information tied to Tuesday’s gunfire to contact the department. Updates are expected once officers confirm whether there were any victims and decide on potential charges, as reported by AOL.
