(Memphis Police Department)
A neighbor of a Memphis cop who was killed while off-duty has been arrested on a gun charge. According to WREG, 36-year-old Lorenzo Clark is also a neighbor of slain Memphis officer Terence Olridge, 31. Clark’s arrest is connected to Olridge’s death. The shooting occurred on the afternoon of October 11 in the Memphis suburb of Cordova. Olridge was off-duty at the time of his death.
This is a breaking story so stay tuned for updates.
Here’s what we know so far:
1. The Shooting Was the Result of a Neighborhood Dispute
Officer Terence Olridge. (Handout)
Memphis police spokesman Louis Brownlee has not said if Clark will face additional charges. WREG reports that Clark is charged with felony possession of a firearm in connection to the murder of an officer. On October 11, the day of the shooting, the Memphis Commercial Appeal had reported that the shooting was related to a dispute that Olridge was having with one of his neighbors. The gunfire broke out at 12:50 p.m. Later, Clark surrendered to officers without incident at his home in the 2700 block of Long Shadow Lane in Memphis.
2. Neighbors Reported Hearing as Many as 15 Shots
A fellow neighbor of the two men, Karen Lax, told WMC that she had previously witnessed Clark in an aggressive with another person who lived on their street. She said “I’m not really surprised something bad happened.” Neighbors later told the station that she thought she heard as many as 15 gunshots.
3. Olridge Just Became a Cop in February 2015
(Facebook)
Speaking to WREG, Olrdige’s uncle Jerry Kelly said “It’s a very sad situation. Crying, everybody’s crying…We just got a call. Told us that he’s been shot. Terence was a good person.” He graduated from the police academy in February 2015 when he was interviewed by Fox Memphis. He told the station “Got a task ahead of me and I am prepared.”
4. Oldridge’s Fiancee Is 4 Months Pregnant With Their First Child
The shooting happened along her, at 2700 block of Long Shadow Lane in Memphis. (Google Street View)
Olridge was an expectant father. At the time of the shooting, he was on his way to work. WMC reports that Olridge’s fiancee is four months pregnant with the couple’s first child.
5. The Last Memphis Cop to Be Killed Was in August When Officer Sean Bolton Apparently Interrupted a Drug Deal
Officer Sean Bolton who was slain in Memphis in August 2015. (Screengrab via Fox News)
Officer Terence Olridge is the second Memphis cop to be shot dead in the last 2 and a half months. The last Memphis cop killed was Sean Bolton. It’s believed that Bolton was shot dead after he interrupted a drug deal. In that crime, Tremaine Wilbourn, has been accused of first-degree murder. Wilbourn has a long criminal history. In an interview with NBC News, Wilbourn’s sister Callie Watkins said that she believed her brother was set up and that he was protecting himself.