A dispute outside a home on Ryanwood Avenue left a man with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and in critical condition, according to police. Joshua Bell, 25, is accused of shooting his sister’s ex-boyfriend during the confrontation.
According to WREG, Memphis police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of Ryanwood Avenue just before 9 a.m. Tuesday. Officers said the victim had come to a woman’s house on the street around 8:40 a.m., setting off a confrontation with Bell over the ex-boyfriend showing up there in the first place.
Police Account Describes Dispute Before Shooting
According to WREG’s account of the police report, Bell and the woman told the ex-boyfriend to collect his belongings and leave. The woman later heard a loud thump at the storage door, followed by a gunshot, the outlet reported. Officers said Bell was seen with a firearm before leaving in a white Kia Sportage.
WREG reported, citing the Memphis Police Department, that the victim was wounded in the abdomen and taken to a hospital in critical condition. The outlet also reported that investigators identified Bell in a lineup.
Suspect Declined to Speak With Investigators
WREG reported that Bell declined to give investigators a statement and told them to “do their job.” He faces charges of attempted second-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
At the time of WREG’s report, Bell had no bond set and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday. The victim’s identity, age and current medical condition beyond the reported critical status have not been made public.
What the City-County Office Says About Violence Prevention
Separately, the City of Memphis and Shelby County’s Joint Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement describes its work as violence prevention and intervention, with a particular focus on gun violence. That description does not establish whether a specific office program serves Whitehaven or any connection to the Ryanwood Avenue shooting.
