Memphis police today identified the man suspected of shooting and killing an officer during a traffic stop as 29-year-old Tremaine Wilbourn.
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“As a community we say so often as a theme – black lives matter”, Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said while speaking with reporters.
“You gunned down, you murdered a police officer, for less than 2 grams of marijuana”, he said.
Louis Goggans, spokesman for the United States attorney’s office in Memphis, said Tremaine Wilbourn turned himself over at the federal building.
Investigators said Wilbourn, a convicted bank robber on probation, ran after the shooting.
The shooting of the officer follows a series of incidents across the country in which police have been accused of using excessive force during traffic stops. He had previously been sentenced to 121 months for bank robbery charges, and was out on supervised release, according to Memphis police, who said he was considered armed and risky.
Mayor A C Wharton joined Armstrong in asking the prayers for the officer’s family, the Memphis police department and the city.
He was a former Marine who survived a tour of duty in Iraq.
Bolton had worked at the department since 2010.
He allegedly shot and killed Officer Sean Bolton Saturday night. “He’s a coward”, Armstrong said, holding up a photo of Wilbourn. “Please keep us in your prayers”, he said. Armstrong said Bolton saw the auto and shined his squad car’s spotlight on the vehicle.
A first-degree murder warrant had been issued for Wilbourn, who was suspected of being the passenger in the vehicle.
A neighbor used Bolton’s radio to call for help for the injured officer but he died at a hospital. The driver of the vehicle that was stopped turned himself in on Sunday, but was released without charge.
“I will continue to pray for Officer Bolton’s family, and all of his extended family”.
The U.S. Marshal’s Service has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to Wilbourn’s arrest.
According to Bloomfield Baptist Church Pastor Reverend Ralph White, Wilbourn was on his way downtown to turn himself in.
Residents along the street where Bolton was gunned down said their block had been quiet compared to the neighborhood around them, where gunshots cut through the night and people are afraid to go outside after dark. He was later declared dead, police said. He was the third Memphis officer to be fatally shot in slightly more than four years.
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“We had used every resource that was available to us and there was an intense amount of pressure and it was just a matter of time before he turned himself in”, he said.
