Neighbors react after child shot, killed while walking to a store in North Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Memphis police are working through evidence right now looking for clues that will lead to the suspects who shot and killed a young boy in North Memphis. Horrified neighbors say the child was just walking to a nearby store.

“I’m sitting in my car and they go boom boom boom boom," said witness Annie Wormley.

“Maybe an Uzi or some kind of automatic weapon.”

People in this North Memphis neighborhood known as Smokey City can’t believe what happened at 4 in the afternoon on Looney Avenue.

The victim, relatives say, was an 11-year-old boy walking to the store.

“He didn’t have time to holler when they shot him. He just fell," said neighbor/pastor Eddie Brooks.

Wormley saw relatives rush to the scene.

“They just scooped him up over there in the driveway and took him to the hospital," she said.

Police cars with blue lights flashing parked at the emergency room entrance at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital where police say the child died.

Relatives and friends at the hospital inconsolable after the awful news.

“If Black Lives Matter, why do we keep killing ourselves? Why you shooting at each other?” said Wormley.

Police gathered evidence and shell casings and talked with people while keeping the area roped off for hours.

Wormley said she saw a car drive by with a man driving and the passenger shooting.

Brooks, who has lived in his house for decades, says someone shot at his house two weeks ago. He has no idea why. He said his nieces were there to cook his dinner.

“If they had been in the kitchen, they would be dead," said Brooks.

People in this neighborhood say the death of a child is intolerable and something needs to change.

“This neighborhood needs prayer," said Brooks.

Police say at this point they have no suspect information, not even a good car description. If you know anything call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.

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