Current:Home > ContactDistrict attorney says Memphis police officer may have been killed by friendly fire -GrowthProspect
District attorney says Memphis police officer may have been killed by friendly fire
Johnathan Walker View
Date:2025-04-10 12:33:02
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A 17-year-old suspect charged in the fatal shooting of a Memphis police officer has not been accused of first-degree murder because information obtained by the district attorney’s office shows the officer was killed by friendly fire, officials said.
In a statement, the office of Shelby County’s top prosecutor said the 17-year-old has been charged with 13 counts including attempted first-degree murder and assault against a first responder in the death of Officer Joseph McKinney on April 12.
McKinney and an 18-year-old man, identified as Jaylen Lobley, were killed in a shootout that developed as officers investigated a suspicious vehicle. The 17-year-old suspect was wounded and remains in the hospital. Another Memphis police officer was injured and a third officer was grazed and treated at the scene.
The DA’s office did not identify the 17-year-old suspect in statements released Wednesday about the charges, which carry up a maximum of 400 years in prison. The statements did not provide details about friendly fire aspect of the shooting.
“We have not proceeded with a murder charge at this time because current information indicates that Officer McKinney was killed by friendly fire,” one of the statements said. “Although current information indicates friendly fire, we believe the 17-year-old’s reprehensible actions are still the real cause of Officer McKinney’s death.”
The Memphis Police Department on Thursday referred questions to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is looking into the shooting.
“We continue to mourn the death of Officer Joseph McKinney, as we learn this new information,” police chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said in a statement.
The TBI declined comment on the DA’s statements about friendly fire.
Lobley was arrested last month in a stolen vehicle with an illegally modified semiautomatic weapon that converted it to what Davis described as a “fully automatic machine gun.”
District Attorney Steve Mulroy said a Shelby County Judicial Commissioner made the decision to release Lobley on his own recognizance — with conditions including reporting and curfew — and did so despite prosecutors strongly arguing against it, citing the defendant’s danger to the community.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
- The minty past and cloudy future of menthol cigarettes
- Man arrested in Audrii Cunningham's death was previously convicted on child enticement charges
- Bestselling Finds Under $25 You Need From Ban.do's Biggest Sale of The Year To Brighten Your Day
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- Taylor Swift's 'ick face,' Travis Kelce and when going public causes more harm than good
- Fear for California woman Ksenia Karelina after arrest in Russia on suspicion of treason over Ukraine donation
- DNA from trash links former U.S. soldier to 1978 murder in Germany, investigators say: Match was 1 in 270 quadrillion
- Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
- Doctors didn't think much of her constant cough. A nurse did and changed her life
Ranking
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- 'Who TF Did I Marry': Woman's TikTok saga on marriage to ex-husband goes massively viral
- The Best Spring Decor Picks for Your Home Refresh—Affordable Finds from Amazon, H&M Home, and Walmart
- Jury starts deliberating in trial of New Hampshire man accused of killing daughter, 5
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Wisconsin bills to fight ‘forever chemicals’ pollution, speed ballot counting in jeopardy
- Kelly Rowland’s Rep Speaks Out Amid Dressing Room Debacle
- A secret text code can help loved ones in an emergency: Here's how to set one up
Recommendation
Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
Malia Obama Is Now Going by This Stage Name
An unusual criminal case over handwritten lyrics to ‘Hotel California’ goes to trial Wednesday
Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday's drawing as jackpot passes $500 million
Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
E-bike head trauma soars as helmet use falls, study finds
What does it mean for an NFL player to be franchise tagged? Deadline, candidates, and more
Barry Keoghan gets naked for Vanity Fair Hollywood cover issue, talks 'Saltburn' dance