Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Joseph McKinney was shot and killed while investigating a suspicious vehicle at the intersection of Charter Avenue and Horn Lake Road at about 2:00 am.
He and other officers were approaching the vehicle when the occupants opened fire on them. Officers returned fire before the car fled. The officers pursued the vehicle and took two wounded subjects into custody after it stopped.
Officer McKinney was transported to Regional One Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. Two other officers were wounded.
The adult subject died of his gunshot wounds, and the juvenile subject suffered critical gunshot wounds. The adult subject was out on bond from an arrest the previous month in which he had been charged with possession of a modified semi-automatic weapon and two counts of grand larceny related to vehicle thefts. The juvenile pleaded guilty to facilitation of second-degree murder and multiple counts of reckless aggravated assault and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Officer McKinney had served with the Memphis Police Department for over three years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-943F0E09- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer McKinney gave the Memphis Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer McKinney.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Joseph Russell McKinney 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 97,756 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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Russell McKinney's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph Russell McKinney Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Russell McKinney is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph Russell McKinney was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
93 officers from Memphis Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
