Memphis Mayor Faces Attempted Kidnapping as Crime Decline Claims Spark Debate
A man attempted to kidnap Memphis Mayor Paul Young, sparking a national conversation about the city’s safety. Trenton Abston, 25, was arrested with restraint tools after scaling a wall to the mayor’s home. The incident occurs just days before Young boasted of declining crime rates in the city. The Memphis Police Department emphasized their commitment to public safety, while local business owners criticized ‘weakened leadership’ amid ongoing safety concerns.
According to Shelby County, Tennessee jail records, Abston remains behind bars as of Friday, and his bond has not yet been assessed. It is unclear whether he has an attorney, and the Shelby County public defender’s office could not be reached for comment.
The suspect was arrested just one day after Young took to X to defend the city after comments made by sports analyst Stephen A. Smith, who said NBA players don’t want to play in Memphis due to safety concerns. The comment sparked backlash from Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and from Young. Morant posted on X, calling out Smith for focusing on negative aspects of the city rather than the performances of the Grizzlies team.
Young also weighed in on X, emphasizing that crime is down significantly in 2024 and 2025, and that Memphis is rising. He thanked Memphians and Morant for standing up for the city and invited Smith to visit Memphis, where he is welcome ‘anytime.’
The Memphis Police Department said the security footage was not available for release. Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.