The Memphis police officer who was shot in a Memphis Public Library branch in early February died Saturday, the Memphis Police Department said in a statement.
Officer Geoffrey Redd, 49, who spent 15 years with the department, was responding to an “individual suspected of trespassing” at a business in the 5100 block of Poplar on Feb. 2, according to Keli McAlister, a public information officer for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
About 30 minutes later, that same person, later identified as Torence Jackson, Jr., was “believed to have gotten into a confrontation with a citizen” inside the Poplar-White Station Library.
“According to initial reports, as the two [officers] attempted to talk to [Jackson], [Jackson] produced a weapon and shot one of the officers,” McAlister said. “The second officer returned fire, striking [Jackson].”
Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Redd was taken to Regional One Hospital in “extremely critical condition,” MPD said at the time.
“Despite the best efforts by those at Regional One, Officer Redd succumbed to his injuries,” MPD said Saturday.
The second officer, who shot and killed Jackson, has not been identified, but Redd was identified by Bishop Brandon Porter of COGIC. Redd was a member and director of security at Porter’s church.
A few years ago, Redd was on duty when he was struck by a car. As soon as he recovered, he went back to the police department “to protect and serve,” Porter said. “We have to stand with our police officers. We may have some bad apples and we have to deal with that, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
Porter was among the local pastors who delivered words of comfort at Tyre Nichols’ funeral the day before the shooting at the library.
In its statement, MPD said Redd served at the Old Allen, Union, Raines, Mt. Moriah, Ridgeway and Appling Farms stations. Before joining the department, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps.