MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Shelby County Grand Jury will hear the case against the two men facing charges after a Rhodes College security dispatcher, the daughter of a former Memphis Police Association president, was held at gunpoint while getting her car stolen on campus, according to court records.
Bobby Martin, 18, was charged with theft of property $10,000-$60,000 and evading arrest on foot. According to court records, he was released after posting $5,000 bond, which was reduced June 20, 2024, from $300,000.
Cadairo Harris, 18, was charged with aggravated robbery, attempted first-degree murder, intentionally evading arrest in an automobile, theft of property $10,000-$60,000, evading arrest on foot, and possession of a prohibited weapon. Harris was released Aug. 5 after posting $125,000 bond.
The Memphis Police Department responded to a carjacking and robbery call June 12, 2024, just before 2 a.m. at Rhodes College on University Street. There, officers learned that a man stole the dispatcher's car.
The dispatcher told officers that while inside the security office, she saw a light inside her blue 2023 Dodge Challenger and stepped outside to investigate, seeing someone sitting inside the car. She tried to activate her kill switch to stop the car, but the suspect — a man — stepped out and fired a gunshot at the security dispatcher.
The suspect then followed the woman into the security office and pointed a black revolver at her, demanding she handed over her keys. The security dispatcher obeyed, and the suspect drove away in her car, heading west on Tutwiler Avenue.
Investigators said the woman was not injured and police are still looking for the suspect. The dispatcher told officers that some of her personal items and electronics were inside the car when it was stolen.
Officers saw where a bullet struck the building's side and broken glass from where the car was stolen. They did not find a shell casing.
Later around noon, Memphis police found the Challenger in the 2000 block of South Cabana Circle and then saw two men get inside the car. Officers tried to catch the suspects, but they sped off, almost causing a crash at Eldridge Street and Broad Avenue.
The car stopped on Brown Avenue near Howell Avenue, and the two suspects ran away. However, officers caught up and placed them into custody. They also found a Glock with a Glock switch on it, investigators said.
Mike Williams, retired president of the Memphis Police Association, confirmed to ABC24 that the victim was his daughter.
"The bullet — it impacted right above her head into the concrete," Williams said.
Rhodes College released the following statement the morning of the incident:
We can confirm that a campus safety dispatcher’s car, a dark blue Dodge Challenger, was stolen overnight on Tutwiler just west of University. We sent notification to our campus community shortly after the incident. The suspect fired one shot and demanded keys. We are thankful that no one was injured. Rhodes is working with the Memphis Police Department to increase its patrols in the area and will be continuing its on-campus and campus perimeter safety patrols.
