Police report: April 25 shooting of Bartlett teen

The initial Bartlett Police Department (BPD) report, summarized below, provides details regarding the April 25 shooting of a teen in an upscale Bartlett neighborhood.

Names are not included because law enforcement protects the privacy of juveniles by redacting their names. UPDATE: Originally in critical condition at the Region One Medical Center (the Med) in Memphis, he was upgraded to serious as of April 30 and again to stable as of May 1.

The car wreck and shooting victim

There were two scenes in the this incidence of aggravated assault: Officers were dispatched around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, to the area of 4310 Fiske Valley regarding multiple calls about shots fired in the area. Dispatch also passed along a report of a car crashing into a light pole near Fiske Ridge Cove.

The first officers on scene at the wreck found a silver 1999 Honda Accord crashed into a light pole between 4374 and 4384 Fiske Ridge Cove. The rear window was shattered, and several individuals were standing nearby.

Victim 1 was lying on his back on a grass easement between the curb and sidewalk. Others were rendering aid by placing a close on his forehead. The officer observed the victim and saw what appeared to be (and what was later confirmed to be) a gunshot wound to the right side of his forehead. He was breathing but not alert.

Bartlett Fire Department Unit 4 made the scene and took the victim to the Regional One Medical Center; his condition was unknown at the time of the police report, but a detective conducted a followup at the Med.

On April 28, other media reported that the victim remained in critical condition.

Officers later determined that the victim had been sitting in the middle of the car’s backseat.

A detective interviewed the other passengers: Victim 3, backseat passenger on driver’s side; Victim 4, front seat passenger; and Victim 5, backseat passenger on the right side of the car.

Victim 4 began having trouble breathing while officers were on scene, and a Bartlett Fire Department employee treated him on the scene.

A responding officer spoke to the driver, Victim 2, who explained why he and his friends had the wreck and how Victim 1 got shot.

At the party site where the argument began, officers found about 50 individuals outside. Officers also quickly contained and secured the area, ranging from the crash site, south to Maher Trail, west to Fiske Valley and south to 4310 Fiske Valley.

They later estimated that between half to two-thirds of the partygoers had already fled before officers arrived. Observers said the party probably had 100-150 people on hand before the incident but all but about 50 had left by the time officers started arriving and detaining witnesses for statements.

Confrontation at party and armed car chase

A group of about nine friends (including Victims 1 and 2) were at a large high school party at 4310 Fiske Valley, in the Maher Trails subdivision. Marriunti Stewart, who lives at the house, said his stepdaughter was hosting the party. (Editor’s note: The Shelby County tax assessor’s website shows that property as belonging to Depaula A. Ross and Markele T. Ross.)

Victim 2 said a group of six to eight unknown black males started arguing with him and his group of friends at the party. The unknown males began displaying signs of the “Fast Cash” gang and the fight turned physical.

That’s when Victim 2 heard someone’s chilling statement: “They have a gun.”

Stewart said he saw a fight break out between multiple teens at the party, and he asked them to leave. He saw one of the individuals firing shots in the air in front of his home, so he took cover inside.

Victim 2 and four friends ran to his car and headed north on Fiske Valley. The alleged gang members were hot on their heels, though, piling into a red late-model car of unknown make or model. He said they began firing multiple shots at his Accord, and he turned right, eastbound on Maher Trail with bullets still flying at his car. He turned left onto Fiske Valley Cove, lost control and jumped the curb into the yard at 4362 Fiske Valley Cove.

The driver was ducking to avoid being shot when he crashed into a light pole just up the cove. He jumped out and hid in the side yard of 4385 Fiske Valley Cove. Excluding the shot victim, all the others exited the car and hid in the yard of another home on the cove.

The police report does not specify at what point the shooters abandoned the chase.

Fiske Ridge Cove resident James Carr, whose house is next to the light pole, also gave a statement to police. He said he heard a commotion, came outside, saw one teen lying on the ground and called 911.

Other witnesses at 4362 Fiske Ridge Cove also provided statements.

Detectives processing the area found multiple shell casings, as well as bullet fragments, in front of 4310 Fiske Valley Cove and in the area of Fiske Ridge/Maher Trail. They also discovered that an unknown vehicle had struck a white Nissan Altima parked facing northbound near 4332 Fiske Valley. The police report speculates that the suspects’ car might have struck it, because Victim 2’s car did not appear to have damage consistent with hitting the Altima, which also had an apparent bullet hole in the left rear door area.

The crashed Accord was towed to BPD Headquarters and stored in the garage, awaiting processing.

The suspects

Victim 2 said he did not recognize any of the suspects, but he gave the following description: All but one of them was large in stature, and they appeared to be in their mid-20s. Most had tattoos on their arms. Several wore hats, and one had a bandanna on his head.

Possible gang involvement

The police report stated, “There was some indication that could not be confirmed at the time of this report that this incident might be the result of two rival street gangs. ISD (Investigative Services Division) will continue with the investigation of this incident.”

Multiple guns

An officer contacted a new witness at McDonald’s (6048 Stage Road) and took his statement on Sunday, April 26. He said he was at his girlfriend’s house at 4335 Fiske Valley when he heard approximately 10-12 close gunshots. He looked outside and saw multiple people exchanging gunfire.

He said two shooters entered a mid-’90s silver Buick Regal and begin to drive away with the driver and the rear backseat passenger both shooting at “the house” (not specified) as they fled. He also said he believes the car struck a white Nissan Altima parked on the road as it fled.

He identified all the shooting suspects as black males but could not provide any further description.