MEMPHIS, Tenn — There have been 96 interstate shootings in Memphis so far in 2023, according to the Memphis Police Department, comparing to 79 during the same time in 2022.
The rising number has some Memphians concerned the police department isn't doing enough to prevent these shootings.
“Can’t say I’m confident in them to do nothing, to be honest,” said Memphis driver Carrion Griffin. “So I really don’t know what to say.”
According to MPD, of the 96 shootings, they have only made 11 arrests so far.
“All that reckless shooting man, kids and women should be off limits,” said a Memphis driver who identified himself as E. Boogie.
The latest shots fired call happened Monday on I-240 when authorities say an MPD officer fired at a suspect after that suspect pointed a gun at the officer.
Looking at the big picture, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said it’s no secret why these interstate shootings are going up.
“Bottom line, we have too many guns and the court system does not punish the use of those guns enough,” he says.
Monday, 15 to 20 more state troopers began patrolling Memphis and Shelby County, joining nearly 40 others that Tennessee Highway Patrol deployed to the Mid-South as part of “Operation Grizzly.”
“We’re several hundred officers short of where we need to be so having a supplement of highway patrol officers on the state highways and state interstates is a must-have,” Mayor Strickland says.
ABC24 asked Griffin if he thinks the added state troopers will help.
“I don’t see no improvement (so far)," he said. “They said there was going to be improvement so, I don’t know. Maybe.”
Those 15 to 20 state troopers will be in Memphis and Shelby County, “for the foreseeable future,” according to Highway Patrol.