Memphis police officer Joseph Kinney killed from friendly shooting

The district attorney’s office suggests that an officer who lost his life in a shooting last week may have been struck by gunfire from another officer.

The incident, which occurred on April 12, resulted in three officers and two suspects sustaining gunshot wounds.

Tragically, a teenage suspect and Memphis Police Department Officer Joseph Kinney succumbed to their injuries.

The surviving teen suspect has been apprehended and placed in custody.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office has announced its intention to seek a transfer for the prosecution of the 17-year-old in adult court.

However, the suspect will not face murder charges at this juncture due to recent revelations. According to the DA’s Office, “preliminary information suggests that Officer McKinney was fatally wounded by gunfire from a fellow officer.”

MPD issued a statement on X, expressing ongoing mourning for the loss of Officer Kinney as they gather additional details.

The department acknowledges that their officers “responded to an extremely violent incident, which regrettably led to Officer McKinney being fatally wounded.” MPD notes that Officer McKinney served in the police force for over four years, from February 15, 2020, to April 12, 2024.

A visitation and funeral service for Officer Kinney are scheduled for April 22 in Cordova, Tennessee. The DA intends to file multiple charges against the teen suspect, including criminal attempted first-degree murder.

Please refer to the complete statement from the Shelby County DA provided below:

Our office recently released a statement with our intent to file a motion to transfer the 17-year-old involved in the officer-involved shooting to adult court. Within the statement, we detailed the charges against him. Since then, some questions have arisen regarding the absence of a murder charge.

We have not proceeded with a murder charge at this time because current information indicates that Officer McKinney was killed by friendly fire.

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. Should a legal avenue open up for additional prosecution, be assured we will pursue it.

This is an ongoing TBI investigation.