At least two dozen police officers and two journalists are injured after violence erupted in Memphis, Tenn., following the fatal shooting of a young black man.
Law enforcement was attempting to serve the man, identified by family as 20-year-old Brandon Webber, with multiple felony warrants when he rammed the car of a U.S. Marshal before allegedly emerging with a weapon. According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, officers then opened fire, killing Webber. One of Webber’s relatives said he was shot as many as 20 times.
Video posted to Twitter showed the scene soon after the shooting. As police formed a physical barrier, the man can be heard shouting, “My cousin down there, laying in the street!”
@CityOfMemphis police shot some man and left him for dead and didn’t get him in the ambulance just left him in the grass pic.twitter.com/Zt3quRs77v
— 「??」- $ADxVisions (@GxdCxmplex) June 13, 2019
Big crowd at a shooting incident in Memphis. pic.twitter.com/9SPnSC2Xsx
— Cole Brundege (@cole_brundege) June 13, 2019
As news of the shooting began to proliferate the residential area, the crowd swelled and became violent toward the officers. Gunshots were heard, and members of the crowd were seen smashing in the windows of police cars and throwing rocks, bottles, and bricks at the officers.
Just saw 2 guys smash a police car with a chair. @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/Am5dcL2V5i
— Luke Jones (@LukeJonesTV) June 13, 2019
Watched young men throw things at passing squad cars and just heard gunfire at the Frayser shooting scene. LISTEN:#Memphis #wmc5 pic.twitter.com/FGzJuA1pS7
— Joyce Peterson (@MemphoNewsLady) June 13, 2019
Six of the police officers were taken to the hospital for their injuries. A journalist was reportedly punched in the head and knocked to the ground during the tumult. He was taken to the hospital and treated for a concussion.
Down in Memphis tonight, in response to a police killing of a Black male, there are reports of several cop cars being shot up, police being injured with rocks, and even news reporters on the scene are getting knocked out pic.twitter.com/eR0f3ODKBl
— Tariq Nasheed ?? (@tariqnasheed) June 13, 2019
Tear gas was deployed by police a little after 10 p.m. and the crowd began to dissipate. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland praised first responders in a post on social media.
“As I monitored tonight’s fatal shooting involving the US Marshal’s, I was proud of our first responders. I’m impressed by their professionalism and incredible restraint as they endured concrete rocks being thrown at them and people spitting at them,” Strickland said. “Let me be clear—the aggression shown towards our officers and deputies tonight was unwarranted.”
