Memphis gun violence – Memphis Flyer

A week later, and the Memphis music community is still reeling from the cold-blooded murder of bassist Blake Rhea. As Bob Mehr reported in the Commercial Appeal last Thursday, the musician was at Louis Connelly’s Bar for Fun Times & Friendship on South Cleveland Street in the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 6th, when he was involved in an argument with another man. That led to the two stepping outside, where security cameras recorded the other man first possibly stabbing, then shooting Rhea point blank in his car before running off. Rhea was pronounced dead on the scene. Later that day, police “arrested and charged 51-year-old Edward Wurl with first degree murder in the shooting.” Wurl was also charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Fox 13 News later reported that two witnesses in the bar claimed that “Wurl and Rhea had both been recently involved in a romantic relationship with the same woman. The witnesses then positively identified Wurl from a six person photo lineup.” WREG News Channel 3 reported that “court records show that Wurl was convicted of burglary and unlawful wounding in 1994.” WREG then quoted bar owner Louis Connolly as saying, “Stories like this are so common that we have become almost numb to them. We are thankful that the violence did not come into the bar. But that doesn’t make this any less heartbreaking, and our thoughts go out to the victim and the victim’s family.”

Since that fateful night, those who knew Blake best having been struggling to pick up the pieces, recalling his easygoing humor, his skill and sensitivity as a musician, and his role as a much-loved teacher at School of Rock Germantown. Having played in such pivotal bands as CYC, American Fiction, John Németh, Lord T & Eloise, The Gamble Brothers Band, Marcella Simien, and, most recently, Southern Avenue, his brilliance had been celebrated for years by fans and fellow musos alike.

Just how many lives Rhea touched will be apparent on Saturday, November 16th, from 4-8 p.m., when Railgarten will host “Blake Rhea’s Encore,” a celebration of his life, featuring performances by bands who were especially close to him, including Jombi, American Fiction, Salo Pallini, and (possibly) “Tierinii, Tikyra, and Ori from Southern Avenue.”

Speaking to the Flyer this Thursday, Southern Avenue’s drummer, Tikyra Jackson, was still trying to get past a feeling of unreality, having toured extensively with Rhea over the past year. “I’m still just taking it in,” she confided. “We spent all year together. It’s so weird, knowing that we’re gonna get back into the vehicle and it won’t be the same vibe.

“He had already toured a lot [in the past], and so he kind of was, like, staying home. He was a teacher. But he came back out on the road for us, because he liked us and he enjoyed what we were doing. So over this past year we were able to create something together. I was able to be a part of his life.”

Asked if there was a special bond, as there so often is, between the drummer and the bassist, Jackson replies, “Yeah. And it’s all on camera too. I have my camera set up by my drum. So when I’m watching this footage, it’s like, you can see that connection between us. And for this latest record that we’ve made, he recorded on half the record. Luther [Dickinson] was on bass on the other half. So yeah, Blake was a great part of what we played. We played the new record before we even went into the studio. We had some shows before the studio session, just to go into the studio more comfortable. So he was a part of the early process of getting from the stage of the writing to actually making it happen, making it happen live.”

In the studio, Jackson notes, Rhea’s contributions were memorable. “He was open to trying different things,” she said, noting that “his touch, his flavors in the music” were memorable. “One of the songs, ‘So Much Love,’ is very iconic to me because of the bassline that he came up with.”

Recalling all this, it was hard for Jackson to go on. “I don’t know, man, even talking to you now, I’m like, I feel like I’m experiencing new emotions and new realizations. But what a beautiful thing to capture his soul on the record, you know. And it’s not like it was 30 years ago. This was him living and breathing just yesterday, you know?”

Memphis Allies, an initiative launched by Youth Villages, has decided to tackle youth crime and violence with a collaboration and accountability-centered approach.

Support with Intention to Create Hope (SWITCH) is a service currently offered in Orange Mound, Hickory Hill, South Memphis, Raleigh and Frayser. It aims to reduce gun violence and homicides, while also helping participants “reach their full potential,”

Originally started in the summer of 2022, SWITCH has served 512 people in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24. According to Youth Allies, the program brings community partners and other resources into these communities to stop cycles of gun violence and poverty.

Memphis Allies’ 2024 Progress Report said 398 people were killed in the city of Memphis last year, including 36 children. Officials said these statistics exemplify a “cycle of destruction” they hope to stop.

“The reality is that 99 percent of our SWITCH program participants have some affiliation with a gang, clique, or crew,” the report said. “Many of our participants either have a previous gun-related charge and/or have been shot or shot at.”

Besides being affiliated with a gang and directly involved in gun violence, people who have had a friend or family member shot/shot at, a history of criminal justice involvement, are unemployed, and have not completed school face these challenges at a higher rate.

Officials went on to say that 87 percent of people in the SWITCH program have not been involved in gun violence since their involvement.

SWITCH relies on “timely intervention” for its effectiveness, the report says. The 12-18 month long service puts those most susceptible to gun violence — both the victim and the perpetrator — in individual and group sessions. Participants are also engaged in family involvement, employment training,educational support and more to prepare them for success.

“SWITCH Youth is community-based, with life coaches and specialists meeting with participants face-to-face many times a week and staying in touch by phone and text,” the report says. “As participants progress through stages, they work on practical matters such as education and employment and on ways to overcome trauma, modify behavior and make better decisions in the moment.”

The organization uses a four-stage process to help participants, which includes engagement and alignment, self management, relationships and community connection, and vocational and educational connection.

Memphis Allies said involvement in the program is 24-7 work, with outreach specialists, life coaches, case managers, and clinical therapists working around the clock to help participants.

“Many of these adult SWITCH participants already have been incarcerated, sometimes on gun-related charges,” the organization added. “For some, this program represents [the] last chance at making transformative change.”

Renardo Baker, founder of “I Shall Not Die but Live,” is a partner for Memphis Allies and provides SWITCH outreach in Orange Mound. Baker said he “destroyed his community” by being a drug dealer, but has been a positive influence on his community for the past few decades by creating job opportunities for those at risk through his lawn business.

Twins Brandon and Bryan Mathis started the nonprofit TWINS which stands for “together we can impact neighborhoods and nations.” The brothers used their experiences from joining a gang at age 10 to not only implement SWITCH in Frayser, but they also provide life coaching and case management in Hickory Hill through their organization.

“[The partnership] gives us the freedom to do what has been successful and have the resources of Memphis Allies, including data,” Bryan said.

Memphis Allies has a number of partners in their network including The Braid Foundation, City of Memphis, Grind City Cares, Guns Down Orange Mound, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Young Man University and more.

Officials said that in the future they hope to help four times the number of people they served for FY 2023-24.