The Gather on Southern is a popular off-campus apartment complex for students at the University of Memphis. There have been two attempted robberies within the past month at the Gather on Southern.
University of Memphis students were held at gunpoint in their apartment at the Gather on Southern Avenue on Dec. 6, according to an incident report by the Memphis Police Department and the Gather residents.
The group was inside the apartment when the robbery occured.Â
“Me and my roommates were relaxing when there was a knock on the door,†one victim said. “One of the suspects knocked, and because of the way they are standing, you couldn’t see the other four suspects, and that is how they forced their way in.â€
The victim said the suspects already had a gun to the back of the roommate who answered the door, and they were all put in the same room while the rest of the house was being robbed.
“The Gather is not safe at all,†the victim said. “We asked for a room change the day that it happened, and we’re still in the same room ... It’s literally too much. I’d rather get a broken down house in East Memphis than live here at this point.â€
The victim said he has repeatedly gone to the Gather’s management to request a room change.
“We’ve gone down there at least once a week,†the victim said. “They don’t care. As long as the checks keep coming in, that is how they do.â€
The victim said despite them requesting the Gather management to move them to a new room, they would be charged extra fees.
“After we told them we had gotten robbed, they had told us at first they would do their best to transfer us,†the victim said. “Around the first week of January, we went and asked again, and they said they don’t know. But we would have to pay a $200 transfer fee per person.â€
The victim said the security at the Gather is very poor and the complex can easily be accessed by anyone.
“Both sides of the gates are wide open,†the victim said, “It’s been on the news twice.â€Â
The victim said the security in the apartment complex is scarce with only one of the two security guards at the Gather doing their job.
The victim said the UofM should be more concerned with off-campus crimes than they are now.
“It looks bad on the school,†the victim said. “Not only that, but at least what happened wasn’t that serious, but we could’ve died. They would’ve cleaned up the blood and cleaned up everything and put more people in the room.â€Â
The victim said that with the loose security, the Gather is a waste.
“Its just setting people up for failure,†the victim said. “What is the point of having gates if you’re not going to be using them. We might as well be at the Nine.â€
A home invasion involving two different firearms being dischardged occurred Jan. 13, according to another incident report from the MPD.
The victim from the Jan. 13 incident said he shot at the two men at his door out of fear because they were in all black hoodies and brandishing a handgun, according to the report. After the victim fired at the two, they fled the scene. The case is still under investigation.
Criminology major and Gather resident London Oletubo said the security at the Gathers could be improved.
“There are two sides to every story,†Oletubo said. “If a resident stays here and has a gun on them, it is because they don’t feel safe.â€
Oletubo said that as a campus apartment, students need to feel safe and secured.
“I would say increase security and police because that is the only way we can feel safe,†Oletubo said. “Even with a student carrying a weapon, that does put other people in danger as well. At the end of the day, we’re just trying to go to school, be safe and live safe because this is where we lay our heads every semester.â€
