Sergeant Darwin J. Finch

Darwin J. Finch

Sergeant Darwin Finch was shot and killed when he and two other officers went to arrest a suspect on a warrant at Horn Lake, Mississippi. A Captain from the Second Arkansas Sate Guard came to Memphis with an arrest warrant for a suspect. He stopped at Police Headquarters and Sergeant Finch and another Sergeant were assigned to accompany the Captain to arrest the suspect. When they arrived at the tavern where the suspect was staying, Sergeant Finch entered through the back while the Captain and other Sergeant entered from the front.

The suspect immediately recognized the Arkansas Captain and fled towards the back door while firing. Several shots were exchanged as the suspect attempted to pass Sergeant Finch to escape out the back door. During the gun battle the Captain was slightly injured and Sergeant Finch was mortally wounded and the suspect escaped out the back door.

Help was summoned for Sergeant Finch, but doctors were unable to help Sergeant Finch and he died the next day from his wounds.

Sergeant Finch was a U.S Army veteran of the Civil war and had served with the Memphis Police Department for three years.