Mighty Lights Shine Bright for Homicide Victims

Dec. 1, 2020 – On Wednesday, Dec. 2, the Mighty Lights on the Hernando DeSoto Bridge will glow red, white and black after sunset in honor of each of the 293 lives lost to acts of violence in Memphis this year, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

Gen. Weirich will deliver remarks on behalf of victims and their loved ones at a 5 p.m. press conference on the outdoor upper level of Beale Street Landing off of Riverside Drive.

The bridge colors were chosen based off of the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, which is on Sept. 25 each year.

Family members and friends are encouraged to view the lights safely on their own time. The DA’s office normally holds a Season of Remembrance indoor ceremony each year at this time, but no formal gathering is planned because of the pandemic.

“No community or family should ever have to go through the tragedy of murder,” said Dist. Atty. Weirich. “This year’s numbers have especially been alarming. Out of the 293 lives lost, 32 of those have been children. We hope that this special display of lights will bring a small bit of peace to all of the families mourning the loss of their loved ones.”

The first 10 minutes of each half hour will be a dynamic light show, and the next 20 minutes of the half hour will be the red, white and black static lights for victims. This alternation will continue until 10:30 p.m. After that, the lights will remain static until sunrise.

The Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office is also providing other socially-distanced opportunities to honor loved ones lost to homicide in Shelby County. Those can be found here.