McCord Lee Springfield Jr.
Agency patch
Patrolman

McCord Lee Springfield Jr.

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN
Felonious
End of Watch March 12, 1977
Age 23
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo
Badge 356
The Vigil Panel 118 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman McCord Springfield was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a subject who had fired shots at a civilian passing on the street. He and three other officers went to the apartment where the shots had come from at 1244 College Street. Patrolman Springfield and his partner went to the front of the apartment and two other patrolmen went to the rear. Patrolman Springfield took cover near the side door when the suspect suddenly appeared at the door and shot Patrolman Springfield in the chest and his partner in the face. Before falling to the ground Patrolman Springfield fired three shots, striking the suspect once. The suspect fled back into the apartment and the two officers in the rear chased him in. They found the suspect in a back room crouching behind a bed. As they approached the suspect opened fire. One of the officers returned fire, killing the suspect. Patrolman Springfield and his partner were rushed to Methodist Hospital, where Patrolman Springfield died from his wound. His partner recovered and eventually returned to full duty. Patrolman Springfield served with the Memphis Police Department for two and a half years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-309D782D
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Springfield gave the Memphis Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Springfield.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN
Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 12, 1977
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo
Age 23
Badge Number 356
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Patrolman McCord Lee Springfield Jr. is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Memphis Police Department, 53 of 94 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56.4% of this agency's fallen.

Memphis Police Department
53
of 94 officers
56.4% Felonious
TN — Statewide
498
of 769 officers
64.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. McCord Lee Springfield Jr.'s cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How McCord Lee Springfield Jr. Compares

Age at Death
23
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. McCord Lee Springfield Jr. is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. McCord Lee Springfield Jr. was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location