Image Credit: Memphis Police Department / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Memphis police made 160 arrests during “Operation Rolling Thunder,” a 17-day operation designed to target gang activity across the city.
The operation, which took place from April 23 to May 10, led to the capture of 160 violent offenders, including 50 known gang members, according to Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis.
“These are the faces of violent individuals tied to murders and other gun violence, drug trafficking, auto theft, illegal weapons and other crimes that destabilize entire communities,” said Davis.
Additionally, police recovered fifteen weapons, fentanyl, and other illegal drugs during the operation.
Ten of those individuals have already received federal indictments, which means they are given no bond and are subject to harsher sentencing. This is not the case for the majority of those arrested, however, Of the 50 suspects whose mugshots were publicly shown last week, over half of them have already been released from jail on bond.
Davis noted that their goal is to levy federal charges against as many gang-related crimes as possible, stating that federal prosecution was crucial to combat crime going forward.
“Our focus is to stop the bleeding…that means removing what is fueling the violence. The money, the drugs, and the guns that fuel criminal activity. It means making sure the people responsible face real consequences,” Davis said.
The operation, which was a joint effort by several local law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Marshals Service, happened just after FBI Director Kash Patel dubbed Memphis the “homicide capital of America.”
Davis responded, “We haven’t had any direct contact with the director, but we are talking with the FBI on a daily basis here locally. They have committed resources to our city…we are really trying to focus on making Memphis a safe place for everybody.”
Memphis Mayor Paul Young stated, “We know that we have a crime problem in our community. But we want everyone to know we’re turning the ship.”
