Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. released the following statement in response to the shooting deaths of two young girls in

Memphis late this week.

"The shooting death of two innocent children is a heart crushing tragedy for the families involved and for this entire

City. My heart goes out to these families as they come to grips with the senseless killing of their precious little

ones. I just can’t imagine it and I am praying for them as I hope we all will do. I have made attempts to reach the

families and will continue to do so to share my personal condolences and support.

My sadness and empathy for the families, however, is matched by my anger. These young innocent souls were not

hanging out with the wrong crowd. They were not out late at night past a curfew their parents gave them. The 15

year old was sleep in her home and the 7 year old was playing in her front yard.

Usually at times like these we will hear a renewed cry for tougher gun laws. And while politically these pleas for

gun control may be to no avail in the short term, in these horrible instances the collective call should actually be

for thug control.

For that reason, we are working with Director Armstrong and the District Attorney General’s Office to ensure that

we do everything possible to enforce to the maximum those laws already on the books that call for high bail and stiff

penalties for these shameful personalities who seek to bring terror and mayhem to our communities.

Lastly, I want to say that there ought not be a place in this city and community where these perpetrators can

hide. Anyone who calls this city home should be just as outraged and just as interested in seeing justice served.

Whether the guilty parties are a part of your family member or someone from your neighborhood, you know in your

heart that you must share what you know with the police.

This cannot stand. And with the work of MPD and with your help, it will not."