Memphis Officer Killed By Hit/Skip! Suspect Caught! Who Gets The Blame?

Memphis Police mourns the death of an officer killed in a deadly hit and run. The suspect was caught. Guess who will get the blame?

The city of Memphis is mourning the death of one of their own. This is tragic because the officer was killed in the Beale Street entertainment district after observing an incident.

The officer was responding to an active shooter when I guess he confronted him. The shooter revved up the car and sped into him.

The suspect was later caught but the damage was done. The suspect killed a 18 year officer on the Memphis Metro PD.

Of course, the blame game will be front and center yet again. No telling who may get the blame but obviously, Barack Obama or #BlackLivesMatter will be mentioned.

So here's the poll.

Suspect involved in Memphis police officer's deadly hit/skip incident caught. Who gets the blame for this tragedy?

Barack Obama

#BlackLivesMatter

Muslims

Liberals

Conservatives

Mental Health Agencies

The Junk Food Media

The Driver (The Shooter)

quiz tool

CNN reports that officer Verdell Smith, 46, was fatally struck downtown on Saturday night, Memphis Police Department Director Mike Rallings said.

The string of violence started with back-to-back shootings that left three people injured.

Two men were critically wounded in a shooting at Westy's restaurant at about 10 p.m., Rallings said. Minutes later, an employee at the nearby Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid was also shot but not critically wounded.

The suspect, 21-year-old Justine Welch, fled in a car, MPD spokeswoman Sgt. Karen Rudolph said. Police lost him on nearby Interstate 55.

But he later returned to the scene, where officers were working to clear the area. That's when Welch struck and killed Smith, police said.

This is the most recent picture of Memphis officer Verdell Smith. He posted on Google+ about how to help Memphis youth overcome violence.

Welch is charged with first-degree murder, three counts of attempted first-degree murder, evading arrest, theft of property over $10,000, vehicular homicide and reckless driving, Rudolph said.

"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," Mayor Jim Strickland said in a statement Sunday.

"We must not accept this as our norm. I most certainly will not, and I will continue to act to make our city safer."

The mayor asked every Memphis resident "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."

Memphis Police lost over ten officers in the past decade.

Smith is survived by his father, fiance and three children, CNN affiliate WMC reported.

Memphis Police Association President Mike Williams said Smith was an excellent officer and father.

"He loved his son -- always talked about him, always had him with him," Williams told WMC. "I think his son is taking it really, really hard. He (Smith) had two daughters as well."

World News Today of course have sympathy for those in law enforcement. I understand that those in law enforcement face dangers every day. It's a thankless job. The only way they get recognition is when the media covers them. Regardless of the positive or negative, a police officer's job is to serve and protect the citizens of their jurisdiction.

World News Today send our condolences to Verdell Smith's family. We also send our prayers to the victims of the senseless gun violence that occurred before Verdell's death.

Welch is innocent until proven guilty. He could face LIFE in the iron college if found guilty of these charges. Tennessee has a DEATH card. If he was the the alleged shooter in the earlier violence, he could be facing that fate if the victims die.