“Don’t shoot, put up them dukes”: Residents react to Downtown shootings

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police are investigating two overnight shootings, one left a man injured and the other resulted in a man losing his life.

“If you go off your emotions, you can go the wrong way,” Jimmy McKinney said.

McKinney spends much of his time in the downtown area, spreading positivity and encouraging people to seek alternate ways to resolve their issues.

“You know my slogan is, ‘Don’t shoot, put up them dukes. If we can’t get along, let’s get it on,” McKinney said.

So, he said it was difficult learning that a close friend of his lost their life to gun violence near the intersection of Beale and Fourth.

“He was a good friend of mine,” McKinney said. “He was a very likable person. I hate this because you know why? He didn’t deserve that.”

Memphis Police say just before 11 p.m. Saturday, a man suffering from gunshot wounds was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

He later died from his injuries.

Though police have not released a motive, people WREG spoke with in the area said the shooting stemmed from an argument between the victim and at least two other people.

Witnesses say at the time of the shooting, there was an extensive police presence nearby.

“Horses, bicycles, on feet, standing up in the parking lot,” a witness said. “Big presence.”

However, WREG learned it wasn’t long before officers were called to another scene.

Hours after the homicide on Beale and Fourth, Memphis Police responded to Main and Pontotoc.

That’s where they said the victim was taken to the hospital after being shot during an argument.

According to the police report, the victim was with his girlfriend when he got into an argument with several men riding inside a newer model two-door Infiniti.

Several witnesses told the police that three men got out of the car and started firing at the victim, striking him in his leg.

Both of these shootings happened one week after the Memphis Police made more than a dozen arrests in the downtown area with hopes of providing a safer downtown experience.

“The people have a job to do but they cannot anticipate somebody getting ready to shoot somebody,” McKinney said.

McKinney, who is now grieving the loss of his friend, has this message for the public.

“You got to realize that you can make a five-second decision and do fifty years in prison,” McKinney said. You can make a six-second decision and the other person is faster than you. You’ll be six feet. Y’all got to start thinking about what you do before you do it.”

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