Last Updated: Aug 25, 2026
Read Time: 3 mins
Violent crime isn’t limited to urban centers, or run-down properties. Areas in Shelby County, including Memphis, TN experience violent crime, often at hotels and apartment complexes.
Just recently, the Memphis Police Department responded to a shooting that occurred at an America’s Best Value Inn Suites because of poor hotel security in Memphis, TN. This is not the first incident to occur at this property. In April another fatal shooting also occurred. The Commercial Appeal reports that one man fatally shot Luther Street at the hotel and then fled the scene of the crime. The Commercial Appeal reports that the fatal shooting of Mr. Street was the third such fatal shooting at the hotel since 2016.
Crime Victim Lawyers & Hotel Security
In Tennessee, commercial property owners and managers, including hotel owners and managers, must take reasonable measures to protect guests from foreseeable criminal attacks. The victim of a fatal shooting, or his or her family, like the one that occurred in Whitehaven may have a claim against the hotel. Whether the victim would be able to recover against America’s Best Value Inn Suites depends on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the facts of how the incident occurred, security measures provided at the hotel, and crime levels for the hotel and surrounding area.
Our firm handles negligent security cases, and Tennessee law requires that commercial property owners, like a hotel, store or shopping mall, provide reasonable security to its customers. What is reasonable? That’s ultimately up to a jury to decide after hearing evidence about crime history, neighborhood statistics, etc., but it sure sounds like the security provided by this particular hotel was not sufficient.
Because remedies in criminal court do not adequately compensate the crime victim, we may be able to help a crime victim recover compensation for injuries and financial losses due to the failure of a business, shopping mall, store, or apartment complex to provide reasonable security measures in accordance with Tennessee law.
If you are the victim of a serious injury due to hotel crime, please call Patterson Bray today at 901-372-5003. We’ve helped other crime victims like you, and we can help YOU recover your damages if hotel management failed to take reasonable measures to protect against foreseeable criminal attacks. Patterson Bray is a crime victim lawyer Memphis, TN knows and trusts. We will meet or speak with you and discuss whether you might have a case at no charge. Call us today.
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