Violent crime rising in Memphis as summer approaches Violent crime on the rise in Memphis By Brandon Richard | May 18, 2021 at 6:54 PM CDT - Updated May 18 at 7:19 PM MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - As people venture back out, violent crime is rising in Memphis, in particular, gun violence. Memphis set a record for homicides last year and it could be on pace to do the same again this year. Violent crime rising in Memphis as summer approaches But there is some positive news. Some crimes are down, including burglaries. WMC analyzed crime numbers from the Memphis Data Hub. The numbers show violent crime is on the rise compared to last year.