In the midst of a chaotic scene on March 8, 2000, in Memphis, Tennessee, Deputy Sheriff Rupert Holliday Peete Jr., a 45-year-old male, was fatally shot while responding to a call of shots fired. A United States Army veteran, Peete had served with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office for three years.
The incident began when firefighters responded to a house fire at the intersection of Germantown Road and Bay Hollow Cove.
As they approached the burning structure, a man emerged from the garage and opened fire with a shotgun, killing two firefighters, Javier Lerma, 41, and Pvt. William Morris Blakemore Sr., 48.
Deputy Peete was the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the scene following the reports of gunfire. As he arrived, and before he could even exit his patrol car, he was ambushed by the same gunman and fatally shot. A fourth victim, Stacey Harrison Williams, 32, was also found deceased in the garage of the home.
The perpetrator, who was a firefighter recently returned to duty after being on disability, was taken into custody after other deputies arrived on the scene and shot him when he refused to drop his weapon. On April 24, 2006, the suspect was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders. Deputy Peete is survived by his wife and three children.
