Memphis officer shot, killed after interrupting drug deal
Memphis, Tenn. — Tennessee police officials on Sunday identified a suspect in the fatal shooting of a Memphis police officer who interrupted a drug deal and launched an intense search for the man.
Tremaine Wilbourn, 29, faces a firstdegree murder charge in the death of Officer Sean Bolton, 33, on Saturday night, Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said at a news conference.
Armstrong said Wilbourn was a passenger in a 2002 Mercedes-Benz that was parked illegally in a southeast Memphis neighborhood on Saturday night. Armstrong said Bolton saw the car and shined his squad car’s spotlight on the vehicle.
Bolton then got out of his car and walked toward the Mercedes, Armstrong said. Wilbourn then got out of the Mercedes, confronted Bolton, and they got into a struggle, Armstrong said.
Wilbourn then took out a gun and fired it, striking Bolton multiple times, Armstrong said. The officer died at a hospital. Wilbourn and the driver ran away, Armstrong said. The driver later turned himself in to police, and police described him as a person of interest in the case before he was released without being charged.
Officers found about 1.7 grams of marijuana inside the car, which likely would have just resulted in a misdemeanor citation and a fine for Wilbourn, Armstrong said.
“He’s a coward,” Armstrong said of Wilbourn. “You gunned down, you murdered a police officer, for less than 2 grams of marijuana. You literally destroyed a family.”
He said Wilbourn is on supervised release after serving a federal sentence for robbery of a banking institution.
Bolton is the third Memphis officer to be fatally shot in slightly more than four years. Officer Tim Warren was killed while responding to a shooting at a downtown Memphis hotel in July 2011. In December 2012, Officer Martoiya Lang was killed while serving a warrant.
Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton Jr. said Bolton’s death “speaks volumes about the inherent danger of police work” and asked others to “pray for the family and pray for our city.” During past police shootings, both Wharton and Armstrong have said too many violent criminals are out on the street and have easy access to guns.