'A life well-lived.' MPD officer Joseph McKinney remembered for smile, dependability

"A true hero," was how Memphis Police Department interim Chief Cerelyn "C.J." Davis said Officer Joseph "Rusty" McKinney would be remembered at his funeral Monday afternoon at Hope Presbyterian Church.

The funeral — which saw law enforcement officers, first responders, political officials, friends and family show up to remember McKinney — saw speakers talk about his bravery, dependability, jovial nature and, most prominently, his smile that "would light up the room."

Law enforcement from Chattanooga, Bartlett, Desoto County, and Nashville, among others, were present at the Monday afternoon service. Guests approached the church under the customary U.S. flag, often seen only at funerals for law enforcement and firefighters, raised in the air by the Memphis Fire Department.

One of his supervisors at the Raines Precinct, Lt. Vonzell Bibbs, said McKinney led "a life well-lived," and that he was a trusted partner among others on the Alpha shift.

"I heard an officer say this: 'He wasn't just a good police officer, McKinney was a good partner,'" Bibbs recalled from the night McKinney was shot. "That means you're dependable. That means you show up. That's McKinney. On that night, when officers called for help, he showed up."

MPD Assistant Chief Don Crowe, who spoke with a waivered voice, commended McKinney's family for the strength it took to see McKinney leave for work each day.

"Much is said about the sacrifices that police officers make every day," Crowe said. "Whether it's time away from their family, rushing into danger, the hours that they spend at work, the odd hours, working holidays, working weekends. Rest assured the officers love doing this. What's not spoken about are the sacrifices the family makes. It's harder on the family to see the officer go to work than it is for the officer to go to work."

McKinney was engaged at the time of his death and is survived by his daughter, fiancé, parents, brother and extended family.

At Monday's funeral, Maria Najera, McKinney's future mother-in-law, said he was "a great man, a great husband, a great father and a great son-in-law." Najera said the "aura" that McKinney and his fiance, Karina, gave off was "a great, powerful aura," adding that it was "bright and happy."

"I know Rusty is looking down on us right now, just smiling his big smile," Najera said. "He had a kind soul. He'd always be there for anyone that needed it. He would give you the shirt off his back, and the shoes off his feet. Every time he would come in the room he would just light it up. He lit it up with his big smile, his laugh, his kindness, and his corny jokes. He never failed to leave a positive impact on anybody that he came across."

During the sermon, McKinney was also remembered as a prankster.

"He would go in and turn your radios all the way up so that when you got in your car and turned on your car, it blew you out of the car," Dr. Kenneth S. Uselton, of Clopton United Methodist Church, said. "Oftentimes when someone is a practical joker like that, they do that to their best friends. They do it to those whom they care about. They do it to those whom they love."

After a roughly hour-long service, McKinney's coffin was carried out of Hope's sanctuary by seven pallbearers, preceded by ceremonial bagpipers and drummers. Dozens of rows of officers standing five and six deep raised a final salute for McKinney.

McKinney's coffin and hearse was then escorted by nearly motorcycle officers from multiple police departments and hundreds of police vehicles to his final resting place in Memorial Gardens.

What happened to Officer McKinney?

McKinney was killed during an April 12 shootout. MPD said police responded to a "suspicious vehicle call" in Southwest Memphis at about 2 a.m.

When officers approached the vehicle, MPD said the officers were shot at and then "returned fire." The vehicle then drove away but was found in the 400 block of Hewlett Road.

Three officers were shot during the shootout, including McKinney. One officer was critically injured, but later was upgraded to non-critical, and another officer was "grazed" by a bullet.

An 18-year-old, later identified as Jaylen Lobley, was killed during the shootout. A 17-year-old was also critically injured. Officials have said both teens shot at officers.

Days after the shootout, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy announced he would bring charges against the 17-year-old, and seek to try him as an adult. Those charges did not include first-degree murder, or accessory to murder, charges. When asked why by The Commercial Appeal, the DA's office said evidence indicated McKinney had been killed by friendly fire.

Second-degree murder and reckless homicide charges were later added to the 17-year-old's case.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at [email protected].

Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. HPe can be reached at [email protected], or (901)208-3922, and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter, @LucasFinton.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: MPD Officer Joseph McKinney remembered for his 'kind soul,' dependability