Gunman In Critical Condition Following Shooting Outside Memphis Jewish School

Algemeiner Staff

Authorities in Memphis, Tennessee, say an armed man tried gaining entry into a Jewish school and when he couldn’t get inside, he opened fire.

An unidentified white man who opened fire at the entrance to a Jewish school in Memphis, TN., on Monday is in hospital with critical injuries after he himself was shot by police officers at a nearby traffic stop.

Memphis police received an emergency call at 12.20 pm from the Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South after staff reported that an armed man was trying to gain entry to the building.

After failing to enter, the man fired several shots outside the school before fleeing in a maroon truck. A short time later, Memphis police officers found a vehicle matching the description and stopped the driver. The suspect got out of the truck with a gun in his hand and was shot by an officer, Memphis Police Assistant Chief Don Crowe told reporters. He was then taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation separately announced an investigation into the shooting at the request of District Attorney General Steve Mulroy.

Crowe praised the school’s security procedures for preventing a potentially deadly attack. The co-ed school caters to children from first through eighth grades.

“Thankfully, that school had a great safety procedure and process in place and avoided anyone being harmed or injured at that scene,” he said. “We cannot thank the people from Hebrew Academy enough for their vigilance and for their ability to get information to us.”

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis said no injuries were reported at the school. Davis also thanked Memphis officers and those in nearby jurisdictions for bringing the suspect into custody.

Crowe added that it was “way too early in the investigation” to say if the suspect was trying to carry out a hate crime, although he appeared determined to cause injury.

“I think the suspect was going to harm somebody before the day was over and that our officers were able to intervene and protect the citizens,” Crowe said.