A Memphis police officer who was struck by the fleeing vehicle of a man suspected in a downtown shooting that left three other people injured died Saturday night, police said.
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The 21-year-old Bass Pro employee is out of the hospital, while the other two men are still in critical condition. “We at Shelby County Government appreciate his dedication and service to protect the public”. Jail records didn’t indicate whether Welch has an attorney. “I ask the city of Memphis to pray for Officer Smith, his family and all the officers of the Memphis Police Department”.
WREG reports that Welch then ran toward a nearby Bass Pro Shops store, while the restaurant’s owner and manager chased him.
The victims of the shootings had been hospitalized, with two initially in critical condition.
Smith worked for Memphis police for 18 years, Rallings told reporters. Welch got out of the vehicle, which caught on fire, and was taken into custody after a brief foot chase, according to police.
The investigation was ongoing, and no charges were immediately filed, Rallings said.
“The Memphis City Council stands with Mayor Strickland and Director Rallings in a unified front to combat violent crime and its root causes”, Conrad said. We must not accept this as our norm.
Welch allegedly shot Smith while fleeing from the second shooting. He is survived by a father, fiance, a son, and two daughters.
One thing Williams made clear is that MPD will never be the same again. “Like I said, he loved his son_always talked about him, always had him with him. The council convenes Tuesday, and I am getting input on how we can use our collective influence to take action to suport the Smith family during this hard time”. “I most certainly will not, and I will continue to act to make our city safer”.
Smith leaves behind his children and fiancee.
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Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and MPD Interim Director Mike Rallings will address the violence with a press conference.
