MEMPHIS, Tenn.– The Cooper-Young Community Association organized a crime forum following two violent carjackings that happened in the area just weeks apart.
Officers from the Crump precinct had an informal conversation with neighbors Tuesday night about ways to prevent crime.
The meeting comes after two men were shot in separate carjackings in Cooper-Young.
Arthur Gibson, who is a crime victim himself, said a man was shot in the 900 block of Cox in July. His truck was riddled with bullets but he was not seriously hurt.
“I can think of three people on my street who have been carjacked. The guy three weeks ago on South cox was shot five times,” Gibson said.
Last week, another man was carjacked behind the First Congregational Church. A video captured by a neighborhood watch camera showed the suspect fired one shot into the man’s vehicle.
Former Neighborhood Watch leader Jason Whitworth said he would like to see at least a dozen or more neighborhood watch volunteers.
MPD agreed and said the Cooper-Young neighborhood watch is inactive right now.
“There is just a lot of crime in Midtown and it comes in waves,” Whitworth said. “It would help to get new leadership and new volunteers to go out and repair and replace what cameras need to be fixed and get it back up and running again.”
Gibson who was shot at by two people trying to steal a trailer from his yard last year and said he would be willing to help.
“I don’t have a problem with that. I think everyone needs to participate in some way,” he said.
Police are still looking for both carjackers. If you have any information that can help investigators, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH