MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The officer shot in the 2600 block of Long Shadow Lane has died, police said.
Police responded to the scene shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday. The victim was transported to Regional Medical Center in critical condition following the shooting but died shortly after.
Police identified the officer as Terence Olridge, 31. He has been on the force since September 2014, working at Airways Station.
Olridge leaves behind a fiancee, who is four months pregnant, according to Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong.
“I ask that you keep his family in your prayers,” Armstrong said in a news conference.
Mayor A C Wharton spoke as well, offering his condolences.
“Today, the collective heart of the city is broken,” mayor-elect Jim Strickland added in a statement to WREG.
Armstrong said the officer was off duty at the time, but the victim’s uncle told WREG the officer was on his way to work when he was shot in his car. The uncle originally told WREG he was wearing his uniform but later said he was actually not in uniform. After the shooting, Olridge was able to crawl back to the house to get help, the uncle said.
Armstrong said Olridge was shot several times.
This is an ongoing investigation. Armstrong said at this point, police have “more questions than we have answers.”
Police do have one person in custody for the shooting, but there have not yet been any charges filed.
MPD is still reeling from the August murder of Officer Sean Bolton, who was shot while conducting a traffic stop. Prior to Bolton’s death, there hadn’t been an MPD officer killed since 2012, when Officer Martoiya Lang was shot while serving a warrant.
“I didn’t think that we’d be here again so soon,” Armstrong said.