A pursuit by the The Memphis Police Department resulted in a pedestrian fatality this weekend, as a man fleeing a traffic stop on foot was struck by a vehicle. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday near the intersection of Interstate 55 South and Interstate 240 West, as reported by FOX13 Memphis. The unidentified male was pronounced dead at the scene after being hit by a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu.
Following the incident, opinions differed within the local community about the appropriateness of the police response. Zina Clark, in a statement obtained by FOX13 Memphis, expressed disbelief and concern, urging for better officer training for such escalated situations. Conversely, Courtney Rounds' remarks to WREG struck a different chord, suggesting a certain inevitability to the outcome: “If you’re going to do the crime, you got to do the time and stop running from your destiny...” Rounds said. Meanwhile, the incident led to significant traffic disruptions, with all westbound lanes on I-240 and I-55 closed for hours but have since reopened, according to Local Memphis.
Memphis Police Department confirmed that the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Official statements released by the MPD did not provide details on why the individual attempted to evade arrest in the high-risk manner that he did. This event has occurred amidst a violent month in Memphis, with 28 homicides reported in 25 days, according to WREG. Such statistics have prompted an increased police initiative known as ‘Operation Code Zero’ to combat violent crimes. As noted by Rounds, this increased pressure to maintain law and order may have influenced the actions and attitudes of both the police and the public.
