MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Saturday morning that 74 more people were arrested and 16 illegal guns were confiscated overnight in Memphis.

This increases the total number of people arrested during the first five days of the Memphis Safe Task Force operation to 227, with 65 firearms confiscated, as stated by the attorney general.

“Those arrested include several gang members, one of whom is wanted for murder, and a juvenile illegal immigrant detained with around two pounds of methamphetamine,” she noted.

WJHL’s sister station, WREG, is working to confirm all the information shared by Bondi on her X account daily, though verification of the details is still ongoing.

WREG reviewed the arrest data shared by Memphis Police Department on the city’s crime portal for the past five days. From Monday to Friday, records show one murder, 31 aggravated assaults, 23 auto thefts, and six robberies.

In contrast, during the same timeframe last week, there were two murders, 47 aggravated assaults, 72 car thefts, and 12 robberies. Crime statistics showed a decline by midday Friday.

Friday evening, Memphis Mayor Paul Young praised the arrests touted by the task force. He said the Memphis Police Department was working alongside federal agents in the operation, and said MPD was making arrests as well.

“We have members of MPD working alongside these agents to ensure they have local insight into the daily operations,” Young said in a statement Friday. “On the MPD front, there have been an additional 167 arrests this week.”

Young said before the federal initiative began, the city was reducing the crime rate on its own, with overall crime falling 13% in 2024 and falling another 16% so far this year.

Exactly where all the charged suspects end up is not known, but Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said Friday that the county is bracing for potentially more than 100 new cases a day, which he said could overwhelm an already overcrowded jail and create backlogs in the court system.

He pushed for the establishment of a night court to help ease the backlog in the county’s jail and courts.

Residents are giving mixed reviews on the effort, with support for crime reduction tempered by concerns over potential civil rights violations.

“Some love it, some like it, some neutral, but if it helps enhance Memphis for the positive, I’m all for it,” said Lonnie Buchanan, a Frayser resident, Friday evening.

On her X account, Bondi also reposted a WREG story on reports of extremely long lines for registration and car tag renewals at the Shelby County Clerk’s offices. Citizens told a reporter that the increased law enforcement presence has them on high alert.

“Make Memphis great again!” Bondi commented in the post.