Just one day after Mayor Paul Young of Memphis touted declining crime in the city, a man was arrested for allegedly stalking and attempting to kidnap him. 

Trenton Abston, 25, was arrested Wednesday and charged with attempted kidnapping, stalking and aggravated criminal trespass against Young, according to the Memphis Police Department (MPD). 

Police said in an announcement on Facebook that public and private security camera footage showed Abston scaling the wall to the mayor’s neighborhood and walking to Young’s home. He was arrested with a TASER, gloves, rope and duct tape in his vehicle. 

Trenton Abston, 25, was arrested for stalking and attempted kidnapping of Memphis Mayor Paul Young on June 18, 2025.  (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office)

Thanks to a rapid response by MPD officers, as well as security camera footage, Abston was quickly apprehended, the department said. 

“The people in Memphis, it’s a great sports town — great fans, great people — but there’s an element there where cats like Jimmy Butler and others don’t feel like it’s the safest environment,” Smith said on Tuesday’s edition of “First Take” on ESPN. 

“I’m talking to the local authorities in Memphis. You’ve got to clean some of that stuff up because it’s dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They’ve told me. That’s all I’m saying.” 

The comment sparked backlash from Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and from Young. 

“talkin bout the grizz more than the finals [laughing emoji] wit these [cap emoji] ahh sources,” Morant posted on X. “instead of focusing on the performances we seen from jdub/shai, tj/Siakam, how this series is going. We say sumn negative about a city/team on a national level.”

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on April 3, 2025 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. (Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

Young also weighed in on X. 

“Stephen called us a great sports town – facts,” he said. “Best fans in sports? True. People of Memphis? Unmatched.”

“But what he is missing is that crime is down significantly in 2024 and 2025. We’re not just talking change, we’re delivering it. Memphis is rising and we’ve got the numbers and the heart to prove it.” 

Tangle of ramps for the I-40 interstate interchange around the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. (Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

He also thanked Memphians and Morant for standing up for the city, and invited Smith to come to Memphis, where he is welcome “anytime.” 

Young’s office and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately return comment requests. 

MPD said the security footage was not available for release. 

Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.