Police and fire surprise family hurt in I-240 shooting

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Not even the scorching temperatures could stop the community from coming out and showing support to a family that has seen so much tragedy but is finally starting to see the light at the end of the very dark tunnel.

It was a Day of Happiness at Brittney Ireland’s home on Saturday morning.

Greeted by a crowd of loving supporters, Ireland’s children eight-year-old Kyree, three-year-old AJ and twins Ace and Zuri – also known as ‘The Britts’ – made their first public appearance in over a month.

The celebration of joy and laughter comes a little more than a month after the children and their father were shot on I-240 last month during a road rage shooting.

“I’m just so excited,” Brittney Ireland said. “I’m just happy to see the whole community come together as a whole.”

The Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Fire Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office joined in on the celebration.

“When they saw the squad cars and when they saw the firemen, it was like, ‘I’m not sick anymore. I’m not hurting anymore,” Ireland said.

Cynthia Cash, CEO and president of the Chief Clarence L. Cash Jr. Firefighter Foundation, helped organize the event.

Touched by the children’s story, she said she reached out to Brittney with hopes of helping the family any way she could.

“I called her and just kind of wanted to hear her side, hear what happened,” Cash said. “Hear the likes, the wants, and the needs of the children.”

However, nothing could prepare either of them for the outcome.

Dozens of bags and containers of clothes and toys were donated to the family.

“I’m so grateful. I don’t even know what to say. I’m lost for words,” Ireland said. “I didn’t know that they were going to do this. I just knew that they were going to come out. Like I said, I didn’t know it was going to be this big.”

She told WREG that even though her children still have a long road to recovery, they are resilient and growing stronger and stronger every day.

“Despite my children being shot the many times that they’ve been shot it just let me know that God is real and they have a purpose to be here,” Ireland said.

The two suspects in the shooting, Kendrick Ray and Lorenzo Watson , are due back in court next week.

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