Memphis Police Department, Tennessee
End of Watch: Thursday, January 29, 1998
Age: 38
Tour of Duty: 16 years
Badge Number: 872
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 26, 1997
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Released in 2013
Patrolman Don Williams succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained on December 26th, 1997, while moonlighting as a security guard at a comedy club at 2649 N Hollywood Street.
A man whom he had ejected returned to the establishment and opened fire on Patrolman Williams at point-blank range. The round passed through his neck and severed his spinal column, leaving him paralyzed. He was admitted to the hospital in critical but stable condition.
The subject who shot him was convicted of murder and was sentenced to death, however, he was granted a retrial in April 2012. His new trial ended with a hung jury. He agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and was released from prison in May 2013.
On January 28th, 2016, the man was convicted of an unrelated attempted second-degree murder, numerous weapons charges, and sentenced to life. The convictions were the result of an incident two years earlier in Memphis where he shot at a rival but hit a 14-year-old boy.
Patrolman Williams had served with the Memphis Police Department for 16 years. He is survived by his wife and three children.