MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis has set another record, but it's not one to celebrate.
The Bluff City has set the record for the most homicides.
Memphis had 346 homicides, compared to 325 last year. The city broke the 2016 record of 230 homicides in 2020.
There were 304 murders in the city of Memphis in 2021 and at least 31 of the homicide victims were under 18.
The Memphis Police Department also said there were about 138 unsolved homicides in 2021. Of all the homicides last year, 17 were committed by children under 18.
Pastor Kenneth Bohanna Sr., the CEO of the Raleigh-Frayser Memorial Cemetery said he is burying multiple homicide victims weekly. The cemetery, located on New Allen Road, has about 150 graves. Bohanna said more than 40% of the people buried are homicide victims.
"The families I have to see them standing over freshly dug graves with tears running down because they are saying, ' I shouldn't have a tto14-year-old-year-old my 16-year-old my 19-year-old son put to death then laid to rest," Bohanna said.
Bohanna said the senseless murders are a tragedy and he believes everyone has a part to play to stop the senseless murders.
"It's a tragedy because it is unnecessary," he said. "We are resolving our problems through anger with guns without any other means of communication."
Bohanna said he's doing his part to help Memphis families bury, making sure they don't have to pay a penny over $900 to bury a loved one.