Suspect, 21, charged in crime spree that killed Memphis cop

MEMPHIS — Memphis police late Sunday morning charged a 21-year-old man in connection with a violent rampage through downtown late Saturday in which a veteran police officer was run over and killed after three other people were wounded by gunshots.

Justin Welch is charged with: evading arrest, to wit vehicle pursuit; attempted first degree murder (three counts); murder first degree, to wit in the act of attempted first degree murder (1 count); theft of property over $10,000; vehicular homicide and reckless driving.

One of those hit by gunshots, a 21-year-old Bass Pro Shops Pyramid employee, was released from the hospital, police said.

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The other two male shooting victims, ages 39 and 57, remained in critical condition late Sunday morning.

The Saturday night rampage brought a typical night of merriment to a screeching halt at two of the region's biggest tourist attractions, Bass Pro Shops and the Beale Street entertainment district.

The 25-minute string of violent events between 9:55 p.m. in the Pinch District and 10:20 p.m. on Beale Street came after a 7:24 p.m. report of a stolen vehicle. Officer Verdell Smith, an 18-year veteran, was struck by the vehicle driven by the fleeing suspect.

"Due to the magnitude of these incidents, it will take time to go through all the details," police spokeswoman Sgt. Karen Rudolph said.

Smith, 46, died at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, making him the latest casualty in a year that's seen 95 homicides in Memphis so far.

"This highlights the dangers officers face every day," MPD director Michael Rallings said during a press conference outside Regional Medical Center shortly before 2 a.m.

In a strongly worded statement released at 2:30 a.m., Mayor Jim Strickland called on Memphis citizens to remember Smith's family in prayer on Sunday.

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

Rallings said Smith leaves a fiancee and children.

"We are broken-hearted. Officer Smith was a professional and excellent officer," Col. Gloria Bullock, commander of the North Main Station, said in a statement. "He took pride in his job. He was also a loving family man and friend. He touched many lives and we will all miss him terribly.

"I ask the city of Memphis to pray for Officer Smith, his family and all the officers of the Memphis Police Department."

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Smith was struck after the suspect shot three people during a spree that began in the Pinch District at Westy's Restaurant and Bar and spilled over to Bass Pro Shops before ending near Beale and Third streets at 10:20 p.m.

Rallings said police at Main and Exchange heard shots at 9:55 p.m. and found two male victims at Westy's. They were transported to Regional Medical Center and remained in critical condition.

At 10:02 p.m., Rallings said police got a call to the nearby Bass Pro, where the male employee had been shot.

The suspect fled in a silver vehicle and was spotted on Riverside Drive before officers lost sight near Interstate 40.

At 10:20 p.m. officers were working to clear Beale Street when Smith was struck by the silver car near Beale and Third.

The suspect was taken into custody after a foot chase.

Martin Norris and Jake Schorr IV, employees of Westy’s, said a man walked up from the south on Main Street, talking loudly to himself, pulled a handgun and shot two customers who were sitting at a picnic table in front of the restaurant.

One victim was a regular customer who was shot in the neck, said Jake Schorr III, owner of Westy's. The other customer was shot in the shoulder, Schorr said.

Norris and the younger Schorr chased the man down the block, but he crossed Front Street and jumped a fence, heading toward the parking lot of Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid.

There, truck driver Luis Cortez of Laredo, Texas, was exiting Bass Pro with his family when he heard gunshots in the parking lot. Cortez said the victim appeared to be a store employee who had been collecting shopping carts.

Cortez said he saw a car near the victim, but couldn’t see inside it because of dark-tinted windows. The car sped away and the victim ran to the store entrance, Cortez said.

Memphis resident Tina Jamison said she was on Beale when the crash occurred, and she approached officers on the street.  "They told us to go inside one of the restaurants," she said.

Contributing: Jennifer Pignolet and Wayne Risher​, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal. Follow Ron Maxey on Twitter: @rmaxey1