A 19-year-old Memphis man is behind bars after authorities say he opened fire inside a busy South Memphis clothing store using a Glock pistol illegally modified with a "switch" that turns the handgun into a fully automatic weapon, striking a child and an adult victim at close range.
Ambrose Ramsey Jr. faces charges of criminal attempt first-degree murder, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, possession of a prohibited weapon, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon following the Sunday afternoon shooting at Village Mart Clothes and Footwear on South Bellevue Boulevard.
Memphis police responded around 3:20 p.m. to reports of gunfire at the store, where roughly 11 customers were present. Officers found a boy on the floor suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. He was transported to Regional One Hospital in critical condition. A man who told investigators he was the intended target was also struck in the leg and treated for a graze wound.
Surveillance video of the incident, which has circulated widely online, shows the suspect firing multiple rounds in rapid succession inside the retail space before fleeing. Police said the footage depicts Ramsey using a Glock-style semiautomatic pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device, commonly called a Glock switch, that allows the firearm to discharge in fully automatic mode.
Investigators developed Ramsey as a suspect and positively identified him in a six-person photographic lineup. He was arrested and is being held in the Shelby County Jail on a $250,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
The use of Glock switches has become a growing concern for law enforcement in Memphis and other cities, as the small, illegal devices convert legal handguns into weapons capable of spraying multiple rounds in seconds, increasing the danger to bystanders in public places.
Police continue to investigate the motive behind the shooting. No further details on the relationship between Ramsey and the adult victim have been released.
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