Gunfire reports brought a swarm of law enforcement to South Memphis on Thursday, as officers shut down the area around Pillow Street and Doris Avenue and turned the neighborhood into an active investigation scene, according to witnesses and reporters. Marked cars and officers blocked the intersection while detectives searched yards and knocked on doors looking for clues.
Scene and response
According to WREG, Memphis police rolled into the Pillow and Doris area after a shots-fired call and quickly set up a tight perimeter. Reporters on the ground counted a heavy MPD presence, with National Guard members also assisting as detectives combed the block for any sign of what happened.
WREG's coverage, including photos by Tyler Chow, shows officers behind crime-scene tape, squad cars lining the street and the intersection completely locked down. The outlet reported that as of their latest update, police had not found a victim and had not announced any arrests tied to the incident.
How to help investigators
The Memphis Police Department is asking anyone who might have seen something or captured video or photos of the incident to contact CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH (901-528-2274) or call MPD's non-emergency line at 901-545-COPS, per the Memphis Police Department. Tipsters can remain anonymous when calling CrimeStoppers, and those tips are routinely used by detectives to build leads in local shooting investigations.
Context: recent South Memphis incidents
The neighborhood has not exactly been quiet lately. South Memphis has seen several shootings in recent months, and local outlets have documented similar large-scale responses. On March 31, officers reacted to overnight gunfire on St. Paul Avenue, taping off the block and canvassing neighbors in a near-repeat of Thursday's scene, as reported when officers taped off the block and canvassed neighbors.
Investigation ongoing
Detectives stayed on scene into the evening Thursday, continuing to search for shell casings, talk with residents and piece together what triggered the heavy response. Updates were added to the initial coverage as new details came in, according to WREG.
Officials said more information will be released when available and again urged anyone who knows something, saw something or recorded something to reach out through the CrimeStoppers line or MPD's non-emergency number.
