2 teens arrested in theft of gun belonging to MPD Chief Davis
Two 17-year-olds have been arrested and charged with the theft of a gun belonging to Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis, the department said Tuesday. Police alleged the teens are part of a gang accused of other thefts and shootings.
The department has yet to recover the city-issued handgun, Officer Theresa Carlson, spokesperson for the Memphis Police Department, said Tuesday.
On the afternoon of Jan. 8, Davis’ secondary duty weapon was stolen from the car while it was parked outside a home supplies store on Macon Road. The gun was in a lockbox unattached to the car, which was also stolen, a violation of policy for which the police chief later acknowledged and apologized.
Both teens were charged a month later on Feb. 8, Carlson said, and were being held at the Juvenile Detention Center a few weeks later, when the police department announced on Feb. 27 the charges were related to several issued for members of the AOB street gang, the subject of a Multi-agency Gang Unit investigation.
The Multi-agency Gang Unit includes police officers, Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies and federal officers from multiple agencies. District Attorney Amy Weirich serves as chair of the gang unit’s board of directors.
Carlson confirmed Tuesday the two teens included in the gang investigation were the two teens the department said were charged with the theft of Davis’ gun.
One of the 17-year-olds faces several theft charges, including theft of a handgun, as well as two counts of attempted second degree murder, Carlson said. The other teen also faces several theft charges, including theft of a handgun.
MPD said the five allegedly part of the gang, including three adults and the two teens, were responsible for “numerous auto thefts, auto burglaries, and several shootings within the city of Memphis along with the surrounding municipalities of Shelby County.”
The three adults also face several charges.
At the time of the gun theft, Davis said in a statement that the “incident is a vivid reminder that even as a police official, I am not immune to the criminal activity that occurs so blatantly in our city.”
“...This will only strengthen my resolve to get stolen guns off our streets and bring those perpetrators to justice,” Davis also said.
Last week, Davis’ home in East Memphis was burglarized days after she closed on the purchase.
Commercial Appeal reporter Micaela Watts contributed to this report.
Laura Testino covers education and children’s issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino @commercialappeal.com or 901-5123763. Find her on Twitter: @Ldtestino