Committed to Justice: CPD chief seeks closure to Grove St. shooting

Police need public help; request any photos and videos from 2021 Westside Reunion

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Chattanooga’s Chief of police is keeping a promise she made during her introduction a couple months ago.

Nearly eight months after a drive-by shooting killed two women on Grove Street, Chattanooga’s new police chief, Celeste Murphy, says she is committed to getting justice for the families of the victims.

Chief Murphy held a press conference near the site of the shooting, saying this incident was one of the first things she read about upon getting the job, and it is her number one priority.

The fact that all the victims are women made this going unsolved especially difficult for the new chief.

Murphy: “As your chief, a woman, and a mother… I’m burdened with the fact that no one has come forward to speak on behalf of these seven women. So, I’m asking you today to speak up, to stand up, to rise up for these women and send a powerful message.”

While police have a person of interest in mind, one thing officers are not focused on is why this happened.

Chattanooga Police Captain Johnathon Chambers: “When it comes to motive, or what things are related to, oft times, we do not know. And, really, that’s not important to us. Not near as important as the fact that we had five women that were shot, and injured very seriously, and two that lost their lives. That, to us, is what is the most important thing. Our response to that is to be able to hold those accountable.”

To do that, Chattanooga police need your help. They’re asking anyone with pictures or videos of last September’s Westside Reunion to send them to police anonymously, using the new Atlas One mobile app.

Demetrius Bridges, the best friend of victim Labrecia Dews, says the families also need your help to close this case.

“If you don’t consider anybody else, you consider the family of Keniqua (Hughes; one of the other victims in the shooting). You consider the six children that Labrecia (Dews) left behind. And if you don’t do it for anybody, find it in your hearts to do it for them. The Chattanooga Police have left numerous ways to give your information anonymously, and I think that that would definitely help.”

There is also an e-mail address to send any videos and pictures, as well as tips in the case.

That address is homicidetips@chattanooga.gov.