Mayor Paul Young, MPD interim Chief CJ Davis speak in Orange Mound after recent mass shooting

Brooke Muckerman, Memphis Commercial Appeal

Dozens of Memphis residents filed into the Orange Mound Community Center Tuesday evening to hear from Memphis Mayor Paul Young. This was the first “One Memphis Town Hall” after the first-term mayor announced he would be proposing a 75-cent property tax increase, and the first after the mass shooting at Orange Mound Park.Concerned residents had the chance to ask the mayor and some high-ranking city officials questions pertaining to their neighborhood, community and the upcoming budget season. Before residents were able to get to the gym where the town hall would be held, they processed through various convention-like tables from city departments.Residents asked questions about the 75-cent proposed property tax increase and neighborhood-specific issues like nuisance properties and speed bump requests but also questions about departments within the city. One resident asked the Mayor why 311 was closed from 1-2 p.m. every day, and when Young could not give an answer he promised it would be handled.“We will work on that,” Young said of the issue.

Mayor Paul Young speaks about all the progress his administration has made within their first 100 days on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.
Mayor Paul Young speaks about all the progress his administration has made within their first 100 days on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.

But, before speed bumps and 311 were discussed, Young recognized the pain the community is in currently. On April 20, during an unpermitted block party, seven people were shot and two were killed.“And what I want to say to this community is, I know it's hard as I know it is painful, but we cannot give up on our city. We cannot give up on our community.” Young said. "I've lived in Memphis all my life and I can't recall a time where it felt like this. All my life I've been here but it hadn't felt like this."Memphis Police Department interim Chief Cerelyn "C.J." Davis also gave a small update on the investigation into the mass shooting. Davis said that MPD currently has 18 persons of interest, if not more.

"As I said, we do have individuals of interest, however, we have not made any direct arrests just yet. But we will not stop until we bring those individuals justice," Davis said.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Mayor Paul Young hosts 'One Memphis Town Hall' in Orange Mound

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