Five young people lost their lives in a devastating overnight crash in Memphis, Tennessee, after a police cruiser responding to a reported shooting collided with their vehicle at an intersection.
The crash happened around 12:26 a.m. Sunday, October 11, at Hickory Hill Road and Raines Road, according to the Memphis Police Department.
Two officers were rushing to a call about a possible shooting near Flowering Peach Drive and Mendenhall Road when their patrol vehicle collided with another car carrying five people.
The impact was catastrophic.
Four occupants of the civilian vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. A fifth person was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later died.
Both police officers were also critically injured and transported to a hospital. Local television station WATN subsequently reported that the officers had been released.
Surveillance footage from a nearby gas station captured the moments leading up to the collision.
According to WATN, the footage showed the police cruiser approaching the intersection with its emergency lights and siren activated as the other vehicle entered the intersection.
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation, including the actions of both drivers and whether traffic laws governing emergency vehicles were followed.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is leading the investigation, an arrangement that places the examination of the police-involved crash with a separate law enforcement agency.
As investigators work to determine what happened, grieving families are remembering the young lives lost.
Relatives and loved ones have publicly identified four of the victims as Rodney McNeal, 20; Syria Fifer, 21; Messiah Lee, 20; and Carlesha Fifer, 19. Authorities had not released the identity of the fifth victim in the initial reports.
Syria and Carlesha were cousins, making the tragedy especially devastating for their extended family.
The Rev. James Fifer of Acacia Baptist Church and Christian Center told WREG that Syria was his granddaughter. He recalled one of their final conversations, which came shortly after her birthday.
“She texted me after her birthday, and she said, ‘Granddaddy, how ya’ doing?’ and she had a thumbs up,” he said. “That’s the last time I talked to my baby and you know it’s tough.”
Carlesha’s mother described her daughter as a good young woman who rarely went out.
“Everybody is emotional because we just can’t believe that this happened to her,” she told WREG.
“She finally decided she wanted to go out and go somewhere and this happened, so we’re just devastated right now.”
Rodney McNeal was also remembered as a young man who brought happiness to those around him.
His former high school football coach, Cory Robinson, told WMC that Rodney was almost always in good spirits and had a gift for making people laugh.
“I like to say he lived his life just like he played the game of basketball. Just having fun doing it,” Robinson said.
He also offered condolences and prayers to McNeal’s parents, siblings and everyone who knew him.
The collision has raised difficult questions about the dangers of emergency responses through busy intersections, even when police vehicles are using flashing lights and sirens.
Tennessee law generally requires motorists to yield to approaching emergency vehicles displaying the appropriate warning signals. However, emergency vehicle drivers must still exercise due regard for the safety of others on the road.
Investigators have not publicly announced a final determination of fault or whether any charges will be filed.
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