Man with taser, rope accused of attempting to kidnap Memphis mayor

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FILE - Trenton Abston mug shot. (Credit: Memphis Police Department )

A man was arrested after he allegedly attempted to kidnap Memphis Mayor Paul Young, police said.

Armed with a TASER and rope

Dig deeper:

Trenton Abston, 25, was taken into custody on Wednesday after police saw public and private security camera footage that allegedly showed Abston scaling the wall to the mayor’s neighborhood.

He was arrested with a TASER, gloves, rope and duct tape in his vehicle, Memphis police said.

What they're saying:

"We understand the concerns raised by this incident and want to reassure the public that the Memphis Police Department remains fully committed to the safety of all residents, including our city’s elected officials," the police department said. "We take any potential threat seriously and will continue to act swiftly and thoroughly."

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. 

Stephen A. Smith slams Memphis safety standards 

Local perspective:

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.

"I’m talking to the local authorities in Memphis. You’ve got to clean some of that stuff up because it’s dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They’ve told me. That’s all I’m saying."

The comment sparked backlash from Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and from Young.

"talkin bout the grizz more than the finals [laughing emoji] wit these [cap emoji] ahh sources," Morant posted on X. "instead of focusing on the performances we seen from jdub/shai, tj/Siakam, how this series is going. We say sumn negative about a city/team on a national level."

Young also weighed in on X.

"Stephen called us a great sports town - facts," he said. "Best fans in sports? True. People of Memphis? Unmatched."

"But what he is missing is that crime is down significantly in 2024 and 2025. We're not just talking change, we're delivering it. Memphis is rising and we've got the numbers and the heart to prove it."