74 More Arrests Occur Overnight in Memphis, Reports A.G. Bondi

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — Another 74 arrests were made and 16 illegal firearms seized in Memphis overnight, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi reported Saturday morning.

That brings the total number of arrests made after five days of the Memphis Safe Task Force operation to 227, with 65 weapons seized, according to the attorney general.

“Arrests include multiple gang members, including one wanted for murder, and an illegal alien juvenile arrested with approximately two pounds of methamphetamines,” she wrote.

WJHL’s sister station, WREG, has not been able to independently confirm all the information reported by Bondi on her X account each day, but is working to find more details on the arrests.

WREG looked at MPD arrests posted on the city’s crime data website over the last five days. From Monday to Friday, there was one murder, 31 aggravated assaults, 23 motor vehicle thefts and six robberies.

Compare that to the same period last week, when there were two homicides, 47 aggravated assaults, 72 vehicle thefts and 12 robberies. The week-to-week numbers were down as of mid-day Friday.

Friday evening, Memphis Mayor Paul Young praised the arrests touted by the task force. He said the Memphis Police Department was working alongside federal agents in the operation, and said MPD was making arrests as well.

“We have members of MPD working alongside these agents to ensure they have local insight into the daily operations,” Young said in a statement Friday. “On the MPD front, there have been an additional 167 arrests this week.”

Young said before the federal initiative began, the city was reducing the crime rate on its own, with overall crime falling 13% in 2024 and falling another 16% so far this year.

Exactly where all the charged suspects end up is not known, but Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said Friday that the county is bracing for potentially more than 100 new cases a day, which he said could overwhelm an already overcrowded jail and create backlogs in the court system.

He pushed for the establishment of a night court to help ease the backlog in the county’s jail and courts.

Residents are giving mixed reviews on the effort, with support for crime reduction tempered by concerns over potential civil rights violations.

“Some love it, some like it, some neutral, but if it helps enhance Memphis for the positive, I’m all for it,” said Lonnie Buchanan, a Frayser resident, Friday evening.

On her X account, Bondi also reposted a WREG story on reports of extremely long lines for registration and car tag renewals at the Shelby County Clerk’s offices. Citizens told a reporter that the increased law enforcement presence has them on high alert.

“Make Memphis great again!” Bondi commented in the post.