Memphis police officer killed after 3 shot downtown
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| Officer Verdell Smith (Source: Facebook) |
A Memphis police officer was killed after three people were shot downtown.
MPD interim Director Mike Rallings confirmed that Officer Verdell Smith was pronounced dead from his injuries at 10:45 p.m. Saturday.
Police said two people were shot at Westy’s on North Main. Those two men, Josh Walton, 39 and Al Sakan, 57, were taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Witnesses said that a black man was walking down the street, randomly shooting and pointing a gun at others. One witness said he had to console the children of one of the victims.
"We were just out having dinner trying to enjoy our night," Walton's wife Nora Walton said. "'You think I'm an [explicit], why are y'all looking at me?' And he walks up to my husband, and *pow pow* and he walks up to the other gentleman and shoots him."
Walton said her 9-year-old daughter saw the whole thing.
"It kills me, not only to know that he's hurting like he is, but how bad it terrified my daughter last night."
The owner of Westy's said his son chased the shooter down the street.
"He was a regular customer. He's a very sweet wonderful human being," Westy's owner Justin Schorr said of one victim.
Police said the suspect then ran to Bass Pro Pyramid and shot an employee. Christopher Dickens, 21, was taken to the hospital in non-critical condition.
"You don't realize how much hurt, pain and anger you've put into the families right now," Walton said.
Schorr said when the suspect jumped the fence to Bass Pro, he was out of sight.
Walton had harsh words to say to the shooter.
"To put it bluntly, I hope he rots and you're going to get what you deserve," she said.
Bass Pro Shops released the following statement on the employee that was shot:
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Memphis Police Department and their families during this difficult time.
While an investigation is still ongoing, all indications suggest the incident in the parking lot late Saturday night was an isolated and random act with no apparent connection to our facility or our team members. The entire property is monitored by security and the Memphis Police Department at all times. We are grateful for their ongoing partnership.
The associate was sent to the hospital in non-critical condition and released shortly thereafter. We are not releasing his name or other details at this time
Police said the suspect then took a vehicle. It’s unclear if it was his vehicle or someone else’s.
Police lost track of the vehicle near I-55, at which point officers filled into the street.
"We were waiting for a trolley, then all of a sudden we heard screaming and yelling down the street. We heard 'get down,' then in a matter of seconds there were police cars everywhere," Memphis visitor Tim Snead said.
The suspect then fled to the area of Beale Street and Third Street, where an officer was struck by the suspect’s car.
The suspect then fled on foot, but was captured and taken to the hospital in non-critical condition.
Police said the suspect stole the vehicle used to run over MPD Officer Verdell Smith from the 5300 block of Knight Arnold Road around 7:24 p.m. on Saturday.
"It came up on the sidewalk," Memphis Police Association President Mike Williams said. "He was trying to get individuals out of the way, because the car was moving very fast. Therefore, its almost like he sacrificed himself."
The suspect was taken into custody. He has been identified as Justin Welch, 21. Welch faces charges of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted first-degree murder, evading arrest, theft of property, vehicular homicide, and more.
Officer Smith was 46 years old and was a member of the force for 18 years. He is survived by a father, fiance, a son, and two daughters. Smith graduated from Whitehaven High School, where he played basketball.
"A family Man, a community Man, a spiritual brother who really was just a good dude," Smith's friend Bernal Smith said. "To lose his life way in that way is just separate tragic for him and his family, and for the entire Memphis community."
Friends said Officer Smith ran a program aimed at helping kids.
"A soldier on the ground, someone who really trying to create a different sort of paradigm for young people," Bernal Smith said.
Officer Smith's son recently graduated high school.
“He’s a man’s man and he was an officer’s officer. He was definitely a great father," Memphis Police Association President Mike Williams said about Officer Smith. "Like I said, he loved his son—always talked about him, always had him with him. I think his son is taking it really, really hard. He had two daughters as well.”
Mayor Jim Strickland also issued a statement on Officer Smith's death:
"My family joins all of Memphis in mourning the loss of Officer Verdell Smith, who gave his life in service to our city. I call on every Memphian to remember Officer Smith's family in prayer and reflection today and in the coming days -- and to be grateful for the dangerous, important work our men and women of MPD perform every day.
I am angry this morning -- angry at the senseless loss of a dedicated public servant, and angry at the absolutely unacceptable level of violence in our city. We must not accept this as our norm. I most certainly will not, and I will continue to act to make our city safer."
One thing Williams made clear is that MPD will never be the same again.
“It’s not going to be the same without him. It’s not going to be the same without Bolton. It’s not going to be the same without Martoiya Lang. It’s going to be the same without any of these individuals that we have lost, you know, because what they did—it’s like taking a piece of you away. Each one of them have their own characteristics that they bring to this job. […] When called to do the job that they’ve been asked to do--each and every one of these individuals has done that.”
"This highlights the dangers that our officers face every single day," MPD Director Mike Rallings said. "And the importance the officers have for the city of Memphis."
Rallings hoped that everyone would not only keep Smith's family in their prayers, but also the families of the shooting victims.
The violence marks the third weekend in a row that chaos has occurred downtown.
Two weeks ago, 18-year-old Myneishia Johnson was shot and killed when a man opened fire with an assault rifle into a crowd. A week later, a stampede of people ran down Beale Street after falsely thinking shots were being fired.
Tuesday, WMC Action News 5 will hold a fundraiser to benefit Officer Smith.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and MPD Interim Director Mike Rallings will address the violence with a press conference. You can watch that conference live on WMC Action News 5 at 5 p.m.
source: wtvm
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