MPD officer, civilian dead; officer critical following crash on Danny Thomas
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis Police officer and civilian were killed, and another officer remains in critical condition following a crash Friday morning.
The deceased MPD officer has been identified as 34-year-old Demetrice Johnson. He had been on the force since March this year and leaves behind a wife and young son, the Memphis Police Association said.
The accident happened a little after 3 a.m. on Danny Thomas Boulevard and Mississippi Boulevard. It involved an MPD cruiser and a gray Nissan.
Red Crime Scene tape, the Memphis Police Command Center, and several Tennessee High Patrols were on the scene. You can see both cars’ airbags deploy and are totaled.
Three people, including two officers, were all taken to Regional One in critical condition.
One officer and the driver of the Nissan were pronounced dead. The other officer remains in critical condition.
Police say the driver of the Nissan had been shot after getting into a disagreement with another person near South Parkway.
The Nissan driver who was shot has not been identified by authorities. A man who said he was a neighbor of that unidentified man said the victim was in his early 20s.
“He was always away from the trouble and was going about his business. He was a good kid,” said the neighbor, who did not want to be identified.
No charges have been filed at this time. This remains an ongoing investigation.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol will investigate the wreck and the MPD’s Homicide Bureau will investigate the shooting.
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner expressed his condolences to the families of both officers saying, “I was deeply saddened upon hearing the news of the passing of a Memphis Police Officer this morning in downtown Memphis. On behalf of all the men and women of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, I offer our prayers and deepest condolences to the officer’s family, friends, and the Memphis Police Department. We also pray that the other police officer critically injured will have a speedy recovery. The Memphis Police Officer died protecting the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County, and we are truly heartbroken.”
Mayor Paul Young also released the following statement,
“We grieve alongside the Memphis Police Department and our community today. Our prayers are with the families as we remain focused on the work of creating a safer community for all.”
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