MEMPHIS, TN – A man suspected to be under the influence of alcohol reportedly tried to force his way into a Memphis home last month. When the two women inside refused him entry, he allegedly opened fire, according to local authorities.
Video surveillance captured the incident, which police are treating as an attempted aggravated burglary. The victims, Candice Lock, and her daughter, were in their home at the time. Lock recounted the harrowing experience, stating the man was brandishing a gun and wearing a ski mask and gloves. She confirmed that she had no prior acquaintance with the man.
Both women told the police that the man claimed his car was parked nearby and needed water. The car he was pointing to was their card. The women refused to open the door, and the man insisted on entering their home. They said his slurred speech led them to believe he was intoxicated. Despite their refusal, the man continued to attempt to gain access. When one of the women opened the blinds, he allegedly fired several shots.
Lock reported that the bullets penetrated the wall, hitting their washing machine, and one grazed her chin. Her daughter, Cerenity Phillips, 20, was shot in the leg during the incident. “His eyes were really wide as if he was doing drugs,” she said.
A month after the incident, police have arrested 42-year-old Corey Davin Clemons in connection with the shooting. Clemons has been charged with attempted aggravated burglary and reckless endangerment. Despite being identified in a lineup, Lock and Phillips insist that Clemons is not the assailant.
Due to the possibility that the bad guy is still on the loose, the two report that they are no longer feeling safe at home. “Like we just moved back here. We just moved to Memphis in January. They are fixing to terminate my lease. We are about to leave because this is not a safe place at all,” Lock said.
The Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office have not yet commented on the case. Clemons is currently being held on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled for a court appearance on Thursday.