A night in Memphis spiraled into terrifying chaos when a man, gripped by delusion, allegedly attacked an infant and fled through the streets, convinced his family was hunting him. The ordeal unfolded in the early hours of May 1st, culminating in a frantic scene inside a local restaurant.
Police responded to a disturbance call at Memphis Wings just before 1 a.m., finding 34-year-old Jerry L. Stark inside, visibly panicked and clutching a baby. Witnesses described a harrowing scene: Stark had been running through the neighborhood, desperately seeking help while repeatedly claiming his family intended to harm him.
The erratic behavior began earlier in the evening, with Stark spotted at two gas stations, already carrying the child and exhibiting increasingly unstable conduct. He continued his desperate flight southward on North Hollywood Street, the infant still in his arms, before reaching the restaurant.
Inside Memphis Wings, Stark reportedly collapsed onto the kitchen floor, continuing his frantic pleas for assistance. Alarmed witnesses quickly noticed the infant was in distress, squeezed tightly and beginning to lose color.
When questioned about his distress, Stark allegedly repeated his chilling claim: “My family is trying to kill me.” The situation escalated tragically when witnesses reported seeing him bite the child on the face.
Bystanders bravely intervened, managing to pry the infant from Stark’s grasp and fleeing the restaurant before contacting authorities. A witness captured a portion of the scene on social media, showing Stark inside the restaurant while others desperately held the doors shut, preventing his escape.
The infant was immediately transported to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital with a facial injury, thankfully listed in non-critical condition. The image of the injured child deeply affected those who witnessed the event, one person expressing their heartbreak online and a renewed faith in divine intervention.
The child’s mother revealed a further disturbing detail to police: Stark had allegedly pushed her from a moving vehicle earlier that night. While she didn’t appear to have sustained visible injuries, the incident added another layer of complexity to the unfolding tragedy.
Stark was apprehended at the scene and taken into custody. He is currently being held without bond, awaiting a court appearance scheduled for Monday morning, as the investigation continues to unravel the events of that terrifying night.
