Memphis police are once again grappling with a problem that has plagued the city’s roadways for several years — highway shootings — and fear a new law awaiting Gov. Bill Lee’s signature could worsen the situation.

“I am just very alarmed that our state legislature is poised to pass permitless carry and our governor is waving around like there is a victory lap to be taken,” Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings said last week before the Tennessee General Assembly passed the permitless carry bill March 29. “And I think it is actually catastrophic.”

Tennessee lawmakers sending Gov. Lee permitless carry gun bill

The permitless carry bill will, if signed as expected by Lee, allow those 21 and older to carry handguns, either openly or concealed, without a permit. Lee says the measure is part of his public safety agenda.

Rallings and others believe the law could be a recipe for disaster in a city where violent crime, including highway shootings, is up and where road rage is often a factor.

The Memphis City Council passed a resolution Friday, March 26, opposing the permitless carry legislation. 

The bill comes as Memphis police wrestle with highway violence that has been escalating since they started tracking highway shootings in 2018.

So far this year, 32 shootings have been reported and five people have been injured. Twenty-seven people were injured by gunfire on roadways last year, when MPD recorded 83 shootings — an 84% increase over the 45 in 2019. In 2018, there were 23. 

Rallings said he’s talked to state officials and needs more help from them since the interstates are under state control.

“I have sat down with the governor, the Commissioner of Safety (and) the head of the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) because the interstates belong to the state,” Rallings said. “And the state needs to do more to conduct enforcement operations inside the city of Memphis.” 

In 2019, MPD joined forces with the THP in a six-week “Operation Grizzly Bear” enforcement initiative, during which 30 state troopers were placed on the interstates to stem the shootings.

As for assistance now as Rallings mentioned, THP responded with a statement.

“The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security deeply values, appreciates and fully supports the Memphis Police Department and their continued efforts to keep Memphians safe,” Wesley Moster, director of communications for THP, said in the emailed statement.

“The Tennessee Highway Patrol, along with other local law enforcement agencies, participated in numerous operations for the past few years to present in Memphis aimed at reducing traffic fatalities and crime on interstates.”

He added: “The Tennessee Highway Patrol has and will continue to maintain high visibility across Tennessee, including interstates in Memphis. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security supports and continues to assist local, state and federal law enforcement, and will continue to lead with its mission to serve, secure and protect the people of Tennessee.”

Highway shootings create public angst, police frustration

Rallings said more than 77 million motorists travel Interstates 40, 240 and 55 each year, so pressure needs to continue for more state assistance. 

MPD Lt. Jimmy Lewis, who works the violent crime unit, said each of MPD’s nine precincts place officers along interstates for traffic enforcement if they have part of the interstate in their areas.

But Lewis said police need help with information from witnesses and victims who see shootings.

“Everything is moving so fast on the interstate that we need people coming forward to provide any information they can on these interstate shootings,” Lewis said. “We need tag numbers, vehicle descriptions, make, model and color of the vehicles. Those are huge in helping us determine the suspects responsible.”

Last year, MPD launched Operation Safe Travel 2 in which officers in unmarked cars were placed in hotspots to curb aggressive drivers in hopes of stemming the random shootings.

“I think Operation Safe Travel helped, but that is just one thing that the police department command staff has done to really give the protection we need on the interstate for the citizens of Memphis and the ones traveling out of state through Memphis,” Lewis said.

He said the root cause of many of the shootings is road rage.

“We do not have a pattern of one person or two people being responsible for interstate shootings,” Lewis said. “Interstate shootings are being caused for the most part from road rage incidents. Driving erratically on the interstate, two vehicles get involved ... and it escalates into road rage (with) someone drawing a weapon and firing shots.”

Four interstate shootings continue 2019 trend

Rallings said another tool that would help is a proposed license plate reader bill introduced this year in the legislature that will help gather license plate information through cameras. 

Lewis urged motorists to be aware of their surroundings while driving on the interstates and to call 911 if they see an erratic driver near them.

“What we have noticed is that some people have been very observant and before the shooting occurred, they just had a feeling that something wasn’t right and were able to get the tag information,” Lewis said. “And we were very successful in making arrests on those cases.” 

Police have made four arrests this year and three cases are pending. Last year, MPD arrested nine people in connection with shootings. Nine were arrested in 2019 and seven in 2018.

Lewis said the shootings have occurred mainly on I-240 and Tenn. 385, with most on 385 between I-240 and Hacks Cross in the Ridgeway and Hacks Cross area.

“Several of these incidents are road rage incidents that start off the interstate and they continue to travel to the on-ramp. And that’s when it escalates and that’s when the shots occur,” Lewis said.

Lewis agreed with Rallings that guns in cars is one of the biggest problems.

“The biggest obstacle is guns in cars, and everybody has access to guns now. And when a road rage incident escalates, the suspect fires shots,” Lewis said. “We’ve got to get the guns out of the cars and the hands of the wrong people. But as far as us working to solve these cases, again, the key is witnesses coming forward.”