Tag: officer-involved shooting

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TBI to Review Fatal, MPD-Involved Shooting

Memphis Police Department via X

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) will review a fatal, officer-involved shooting in North Memphis early Friday morning.

Here’s what Memphis Police Department said about the shooting in a Facebook post:

“At 3:07 a.m., officers responded to a domestic violence call in the 3000 block of Dumbarton Road.

Officers arrived and heard an active disturbance inside. Officers located a wounded adult male and were charged at by an armed suspect. One officer discharged their weapon striking
the suspect.

The suspect and the wounded male victim were transported to Regional One Hospital in critical condition. The suspect was pronounced deceased and the injured male is now listed as stable. An officer was injured on the scene unrelated to the altercation and was transported to Methodist North in non-critical condition.”

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Q&A: Brandon Webber’s Friends Never Saw Him As A Criminal

CREDIT: Toby Sells

Toby Sells

Tamara Smith (left) and Ceyara Smith (right) were friends with Brandon Webber.

As Brandon Webber’s name fades from headlines, two of his friends say they still want answers and painted a portrait of the man this week as a uniter, a comforting friend, and an advocate against racism.

Webber was shot and killed by U.S. Marshals during an attempted arrest more than two weeks ago in Frayser. Marshals were acting on a warrant from an incident in Hernando, Mississippi, earlier this month, in which Webber allegedly shot a man five times and stole his car. Officials said they fired on Webber as he produced a weapon.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is currently reviewing the shooting.

Since that shooting, Webber was humanized in online memorials and statements from those who knew him. Those memorials showed Webber as a good student, a father, an artist, and more. Many of those memorials, though, have faded, too.

But those memorials were a shift in the now-familiar rhythm of the aftermath of officer-involved shootings. Rather than villainize the alleged perpetrator, efforts were quickly made to paint a more-complete picture of the accused.

Twitter

Ceyara Smith called the Flyer office late last week. She said she wasn’t sure exactly what she could do but she wanted to do something, to get her side of Webber’s story out there. Earlier this week, she brought her sister, Tamara Smith, to our offices for a conversation that delved deeper into Webber’s life.

The Smith sisters said they’d known Webber since middle school, hung out at events after school, and would often dream together about their lives in adulthood.

They said if he did shoot someone and was a criminal, they want to know. It’ll be easier, they said, to mourn his life that way. More than anything, they said, they want those answers.

Memphis Flyer: I guess we can start back at the beginning. How did y’all know Brandon?

Ceyara Smith: Well, we actually met Brandon in a middle school, actually as we were enrolling into Snowden (School). We just kind of automatically linked and we’ve been friends ever since, even as we transitioned into high school. He had a personal, kind-of-close relationship with my best friend. So, we started creating memories outside of school and we were just very, very close.

MF: What kind of guy was he?

CS: Brandon was a type of guy, he was always honest. He was always happy and he just always kept everyone happy around him. He was always the type of person who wanted to help wherever he could.

He always wants to change as well, which is why, like I said, Brandon and I were in [Facing History and Ourselves] together. We wanted change.

Facing History and Ourselves

Concept art of the Facing History and Ourselves building on South Main.


MF: What kind of change?

Tamara Smith: Brandon was always trying to persuade the other guys to come to tutoring, or “let’s come to basketball practice, and sign up for track.”

Brandon was also very nurturing. If he saw that you needed to be informed about something or he saw that you were slacking on something, Brandon would always come and tell you, “Next time just, you know, just watch what you say and do it a little better.”
[pullquote-5] Brandon was so honest. He was always very helpful to everybody. He was always there for everybody. He wanted everybody to do good. He wanted you to know that anytime you ever needed anything, you could go to Brandon.

CS: He was very comforting.

MF: Did y’all stay close in high school?

CS: Yes, definitely. Even even after we made the transition to high school, and it was a bigger school, and we were around more people, we always still made plans to at least get together after school. We were always at events together.

TS: We were seeing each other outside of school still the same amount like in our [middle school] days.

MF: What were y’all doing when you were hanging out?

CS: We attended all the basketball games together and football games. Brandon and I, we went on a lot of field trips with Facing History. So, we did a lot of that together.

We also just talked about how we wanted our adulthood to be and what did we want to do when we got out of high school and stuff like that.

Twitter

I remember during our senior year, when we started talking about college, Brandon and I both wanted to go to [the University of Tennessee – Knoxville]. I remember when it came time for us to start taking the ACT, we were both, like, “oh my god, we don’t know how we’re going to do this.”

Then, Brandon did an awesome job. He made a 25 on the ACT, and they actually put his [score] on the wall. They put his picture and his name on the wall along with all the other kids who made good grades.

They also had another wall where they had Brandon and all those other really smart kids listed with all of the scholarships, the offers, and all of the schools they were reaching out to. Yes, Brandon was really smart.
[pullquote-4] MF: But people saw another side of Brandon, too, the one from the Facebook video he made that day where it looked like he was smoking cannabis and saying about police, “You’re going to have to catch me, homie.” Was there that side of him, too?

MS: If I’m being honest, that side of Brandon always kind of surprised me. I just never saw him as that type of person.

But, nevertheless, Brandon was always an honorable young man. He always was smart. He always knew what he had to do to take care of himself and his family because he did have three kids.

I don’t see him as a bad person. I don’t see him as a drug dealer or anything like that because Brandon was always so smart. You know, he always did what he needed to do. He was always helpful, always courageous, always on the scene. He was always where he needed to be.

The school — Central High School or Snowden— never had to search for Brandon. He never was skipping. Brandon never smelled like marijuana. He never drank a day in his life.

Toby Sells

Tamara Smith (left) and Ceyara Smith (right) were friends with Brandon Webber.


MF: What do y’all think when your friend, Brandon, is now kind of part of this citywide — almost nationwide — conversation about [police shootings] and you’re hearing some of the stuff that people are saying?

MS: I’m going to be honest, sir. It hurts so bad. When someone close to you is being made an example, in a society that we live in, there is nothing you can do about it. You just live day by day.

CS: I would rather for him to, you know, die doing something positive. I hate the way that he died. I hate that it all happened, because I feel like there’s nothing that he could have said or done to cause [law enforcement officials] to shoot him 16 to 20 times and to break his neck.
[pullquote-3] MS: And to cause such a chaotic scene. I don’t feel like it was that crucial.

CS: Yes, I feel like it was uncalled for. It was very unnecessary. We all know that one bullet can disable someone. So, why did y’all have to shoot him that many times? And, like I said, I don’t care what he did. I just don’t feel like any of that was called for.

I want the truth. If that’s what he did, tell us. It’ll be easier for us to mourn him and rest knowing the truth, whether he did it or not. I want the truth.

MF: That process could take about a year. What do you think about that timeline?

CS: That’s fine with me. I’ll do whatever I have to do. I’m ready. I’m up for it.

Facebook

Brandon Webber


MS: Me, too, because deep down inside, I know the type of person Brandon was. I’m a tough person. It kind of hurts, but I’m strong enough to stand and believe in Brandon myself to not let that diminish my perspective.

MF: Maybe we can get back to what y’all said earlier. You said he wanted change. Maybe you can tell me more about what kind of change he was looking for.

CS: Like I said, Brandon and I were in Facing History together. Brandon and I always hated the differences between the races. That was the first thing, starting with Martin Luther King, you know, I have a dream. Brandon and I used to always talk about that changing.
[pullquote-2] MS: You have two types of men in the world. You have men who will pick up a gun first and the men who will try to persuade you to put the gun down. Brandon was the type of man that was trying to bring all of us together to love each other.

CS: He would have put the gun down, pretty much. Brandon, he was he was that type of person. He was.

MF: I think we kind of covered everything that we talked about. Is there anything else out there that we didn’t get to? Did we leave anything out or is there anything else you want to say?

MS: I just have one thing to say: I love you so much, Brandon. And it really does hurt. But we will get justice, and there will be peace. Your kids will be taken care of. We just love you and that’s it.

CS: Just rest in peace Brandon. We got it from here. [pullquote-1]

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Lemoyne-Owen Professor’s Brandon Webber Comments Draw Ire

CREDIT: Facebook

Facebook

Tom Graves

A Memphis author and tenured professor at Lemoyne-Owen College is receiving backlash for comments about last week’s officer-involved shooting in Frayser.

Tom Graves teaches English at Lemoyne-Owen College, a historically-black college. In a Facebook post, he called Brandon Webber, the 21-year-old black man who was shot and killed by U.S. Marshal officers here last week, a “fucking idiot.”

“So let me get this straight,” Graves wrote. “A wanted felon who shot a guy five times was found in Frayser by U.S. Marshals. So, the fucking idiot tries to run over the Marshals with his vehicle then exits the car with a gun. So, the war he starts with a whole gang of U.S. Marshals, everyone an expert shooter ends with him dead as Dillinger.”

Graves then discusses the community uprising that ensued after the shooting, saying what happened next “makes me seethe.”

[pullquote-1]

“A riotous crowd gathers and begins to harass and intimidate law enforcement on the scene,” Graves said. “Mayhem ensues. People get arrested. Asshole thugs in the crowd fire their weapons. Tear gas. Batons. Shields.”

Graves continues, criticizing activists and leaders like Tami Sawyer, who Graves said defended Webber.

“Others relate what a wonderful student he was,” Graves wrote of Webber. “His Facebook posts attest to thuggery, with him holding up fistfuls of cash, as if he were the king daddy pimp. Defending this man is wrong. He should be condemned for what he was and represented and did.”

See Graves’ full post at the bottom of the page.

Many people took issue with Graves’s post. Some even called for his dismissal at the college:


In a comment on another one of his Facebook posts, Graves explained that his original post was only meant for his friends, but that it was screen-capped and shared around social media. Graves adds that he doesn’t “discuss this stuff with my students.”

“I don’t discuss this stuff with my students — I teach them writing,” Graves said. “And I love and respect my students. I did not want all this to get so out of hand. Lots of folks black and white agree with my take on the Frayser incident.”

Terrell Lamont Strayhorn, vice president of academic and student affairs at LOC said via Facebook that the college is aware of the incident and is working to resolve it.

“Please know that posts made by individuals do NOT reflect the collective values and commitments of LeMoyne-Owen College,” Strayhorn said.

[pullquote-2]

The LOC Student Government Associated sent a letter to Graves in response to his comments, calling them “appalling.” The students said they would like to “express our discontentment at the insincerity with which you commented on the Brandon Webber case.”

“While we agree that we do not have the facts of the case, we are in unanimous disagreement with your verbiage and disregard for the impact which your words would have on the community you serve,” the letter reads. “As a professor at a historically black college, you are keenly aware of the challenges unique to the black/African-American community.

Given the experiences of the students you teach, your implicit justification of the unfortunate events which happened have not been taken lightly.”

The students are calling for a public apology to the students and administration of the college and its stakeholders.


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Hernando DA Says Webber Was Suspect in Shooting, Robbery

CREDIT: Facebook

Facebook

Officials say the 21-year-old man who was shot and killed by U.S. Marshal officers Wednesday in Frayser was wanted for shooting and robbing a man in Hernando, Mississippi earlier this month.

Hernando District Attorney John Champion said Thursday afternoon that Brandon Webber met the victim in Hernando on June 3rd to purchase a car from him, which he’d seen advertised on Facebook. After test driving the car, Webber “cold-bloodily” shot the victim five times before fleeing in the red Infiniti, Champion said.

The victim, who is still in the hospital, later identified Webber as the shooter. Because Webber, a Memphis resident, lived out of the Hernando Police Department’s jurisdiction and was a “violent fugitive,” Champion the said U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force was employed to arrest him.

Webber was charged with aggravated assault, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Champion adds that the task force was advised of the “serious nature of the charges that we had here, so obviously when they were up in Memphis looking for him, they were very aware of his propensity for violence.”

“The Marshals were dealing with a violent suspect, no doubt about it,” Champion said. “You just have to look at everything. I just wish that people would sit back and just see what happened.”

Champion said there is a second suspect that police believe to be involved in the shooting. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

The preliminary report from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) stated that Webber was approached by the officers Wednesday night around 7 p.m outside of his home in Frayser.

TBI officials said in a Thursday statement that Webber “rammed his vehicle into the officers’ vehicles multiple times before exiting with a weapon. The officers fired striking and killing the individual. No officers were injured.”

The statement continued: “This remains an active and ongoing investigation, as TBI Special Agents and forensic scientists continue to work to gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence. As in any case, TBI’s investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General throughout the process for her review.

As is our policy, the TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead refers questions of that nature to their respective department.

Any updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBINewsroom.com.”

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DA: Webber Wanted for ‘Violent Felony Offenses’

CREDIT: Twitter

Twitter

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich said her office asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to review Wednesday’s night shooting of Brandon Webber by the U.S. Marshals Office.

Weirich said Webber was wanted on multiple warrants, “including violent felony offenses,” from an incident earlier this month in Hernando, Mississippi.

Here’s Weirich’s statement in full:

“Last night I asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to investigate an officer-involved fatal shooting of a 20-year-old suspect wanted on multiple warrants, including violent felony offenses, from an incident that occurred June 3, 2019, in Hernando, Mississippi.

Weirich

“The shooting last night happened around 7 p.m. in the 2700 block of Durham Avenue in the Frayser area of Memphis, where members of the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force were attempting to apprehend the suspect, Brandon Webber.

“When the TBI completes its investigation, their report will be reviewed by this office to determine whether any criminal laws were violated by officers involved in the shooting.

“Since this is an active investigation, under the law this office cannot comment on rumors or release details of the shooting at this time. See protocol here.”

Earlier this week, Weirich decided not to file any charges against a police lieutenant who shot and killed Terrance Deshun Carlton, 25, last year. 

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‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting

CREDIT: Twitter

Twitter

Memphis responded with sadness and outrage to last night’s shooting of 21-year-old Brandon Webber by the United States Marshal Service.

We’ve collected tweets and posts below. But first, here’s the official word from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

“At the request of 30th District Attorney General Amy Weirich, TBI Agents are investigating the circumstances surrounding an officer-involved shooting that occurred in the Frayser Community of Memphis Wednesday evening.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting

Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 7 p.m., multiple officers with the United States Marshals Service – Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force encountered a male, wanted on multiple warrants, outside of a home in the 2700 block of Durham Street as he was getting into a vehicle. While attempting to stop the individual, he reportedly rammed his vehicle into the officers’ vehicles multiple times before exiting with a weapon. The officers fired striking and killing the individual. No officers were injured.

This remains an active and ongoing investigation, as TBI Special Agents and forensic scientists continue to work to gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence. As in any case, TBI’s investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General throughout the process for her review.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (2)

As is our policy, the TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead refers questions of that nature to their respective department.

Any updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBINewsroom.com.”

Memphis Police Department (MPD) responded to help the Marshals Service and assist with traffic control.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (4)

Various news reports said some 300 showed up at the scene. It all made national news.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (5)

The local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) said it was watching the situation.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (3)

Shelby County Commissioner Tami Sawyer asked the NAACP to choose words carefully.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (11)

At least one disagreed with Sawyer.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (10)

Plenty of people disagreed with that, too.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (21)

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (23)

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (20)

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (7)

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (22)

Some braced for what could be coming next.

‘Say His Name #BrandonWebber:’ Memphis Responds to Officer-Involved Shooting (19)

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DA: No Charges Filed in Officer-Involved Shooting

CREDIT: Shelby County District Attorney's office/YouTube

Shelby County District Attorney’s office/YouTube

A screen grab from the officer’s body-worn camera footage shows the moment Carlton said, ‘I’m going to kill you, (expletive),’ according to the DA’s office.


(Videos of the incident below)

No criminal charges will be filed against a Memphis police officer who shot and killed a shooting suspect last year, according to Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich.

Memphis Police Department officers were on the hunt for a suspect sought for robbing and shooting two people last April near Summer and Berclair. A police lieutenant in a squad car saw Terrance Deshun Carlton, 25, at around 3 a.m. The man matched the description of the shooting suspect.

”The officer pulled up and ordered him to stop, but Carlton began running and then stumbled and fell,” according to a news release form Weirich’s office Tuesday. “As the officer exited his squad car, he drew his weapon and ordered Carlton to show his hands.

“Instead, the officer reported, Carlton had something dark in his hand and quickly rolled over while shouting, ’I’m going to kill you, (expletive).’ The officer fired twice, striking Carlton in the abdomen.”

Carlton died later in the hospital.

Detectives later found a pistol and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) “lab showed the firearm matched the cartridge casings recovered from the separate-but-related shootings of the two victims on Berclair. Carlton’s DNA also was found on the weapon’s magazine.” One of the victims knew Carlton by name and another identified him from a photo spread.

“(The officer) was in uniform and in the act of lawfully apprehending a suspect wanted in two nearby shootings that occurred a short time earlier,” Weirich said in a letter to MPD Chief Michael Rallings. “The suspect’s threats and actions gave the lieutenant abundant reason to fear for his life and to act with lethal force in self-defense.”

Carlton’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit after the incident, according to a story in The Commercial Appeal.

View the TBI’s Carlton investigation files here.

View files of officer-involved shootings in Shelby County here.

Surveillance cameras caught the incident. To see the incident, go to the 30:17 mark.

DA: No Charges Filed in Officer-Involved Shooting

To see the incident in this one, go to the 7:51 mark.

DA: No Charges Filed in Officer-Involved Shooting (2)

WARNING: This video is graphic. This is the footage from the body-worn police camera. To see the incident, go to the 1:21 mark.

DA: No Charges Filed in Officer-Involved Shooting (3)

This video shows the police investigation of the scene after the incident.

DA: No Charges Filed in Officer-Involved Shooting (4)

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No Charges for Cops in Martavious Banks Shooting

The police officers involved during the shooting of Martavious Banks have been cleared of criminal charges, even though they turned off their body cameras during the event.

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich issued a statement Friday morning saying, “there is no evidence of any criminal conduct on the part of these officers.”

The move comes after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) gave Weirich its investigation report in January.

Banks

Memphis Police Department (MPD) director Michael Rallings asked the TBI to investigate the incident last year. Banks was shot by an MPD officer in September. The officers involved in the incident did not have their body cameras turned on during the incident.

While the police were cleared, Banks, 26, is now up on charges of intentionally evading arrest in a motor vehicle with risk of harm to others, unlawful possession of a weapon, driving while license suspended, revoked or canceled, and reckless driving.

Here’s the full statement from Weirich:

“On Thursday, a Shelby County Grand Jury indicted Martavious Banks, 26, on charges of intentionally evading arrest in a motor vehicle with risk of harm to others, unlawful possession of a weapon, driving while license suspended, revoked or canceled, and reckless driving.

These indictments stem from an incident that occurred on September 17th, 2018. On that date, Martavious Banks was shot by a Memphis police officer.

Weirich

I asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to investigate the shooting and the events leading up to it after learning that some officers had disengaged their body-worn cameras during the pursuit of Martavious Banks. The TBI conducted a complete investigation and delivered the report to me on Jan. 11 of this year.

“The report has been reviewed by our office to determine if any state criminal laws were violated. My job is not to determine if policies or procedures of the Memphis Police Department were violated that day.

“After reviewing the investigative file and all of the evidence available to us, I asked the TBI to seek an indictment against Martavious Banks. I have not requested and will not request criminal charges against any police officers involved in the incident. There is no evidence of any criminal conduct on the part of these officers.

“In addition to the indictments returned Thursday, Martavious Banks has pending criminal cases in General Sessions Criminal Court Division 10 and in Criminal Court Division 6. An arraignment date on the new indictments has not been set.
Because of the pending prosecution, our office is prohibited from releasing to the public at this time any body-worn camera footage or any information contained in the TBI investigative report.”

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City Council Raises Questions About Banks’ Shooting, Body Cams

A representative with the Memphis Police Department (MPD) said Tuesday that the three 

officers involved in last week’s shooting of Martavious Banks either had malfunctioning cameras or they switched them off.

Deputy Director James Ryall told a Memphis City Council committee that before each shift, officers are supposed to test their body cameras to ensure they are functioning properly, and if not, then they are required to swap it for a camera that works.

Council member Jamita Swearengen said this means that officers should never be on duty with cameras that aren’t working, but Ryall said a fight or tussle could have occurred, switching the cameras off before the Banks’ shooting. This situation “could be the outlier,” he said.

Still, Swearengen said both the body cameras and the car dash cameras of all three officers shouldn’t have been malfunctioning at the same time.

Chairman Berlin Boyd agreed, saying that it seems unlikely for multiple officers to have equipment that didn’t work.

“I’m just curious as to what transpired,” Boyd asked. “What could have happened? I could see if it was one officer, but I can’t see how it would happen to several officers. That’s kind of puzzling to me that all of the officers cameras weren’t working.”

Boyd said the city spent nearly $7 million dollars on cameras and $4.5 million for video storage in order to move toward transparency.

“Let me speak from the banker’s perspective,” Boyd said. “We gave you guys taxpayers’ dollars and if the system is malfunctioning, we need to have a real hard, robust discussion.”

Boyd suggested that MPD might need to implement a system that doesn’t allow officers to control their own cameras. Instead, the cameras would remain on throughout the officers’ shifts.

To date, MPD reports that 53 incidents of officers turning off their cameras have occured since the system was instituted about two years ago. Answering a question posed by several council members, Ryall said the disciplinary actions for those officers can range from a verbal warning to termination, depending on the situation.

Swearengen raised the question of why the department’s policy allows officers under investigation to be paid. Ryall said there was a due process that must take place, and that before any infraction is discovered officers “get the benefit of the doubt.”

Councilwoman Patrice Robinson echoed Swearengen’s sentiment, saying that there needs to be a policy in place that involves disciplinary actions toward officers during the investigation.

This discussion followed Councilman Edmund Ford’s introduction of a resolution requiring the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to immediately investigate all serious injuries resulting from an officer-involved shooting and not just fatal shootings.

The legislation would be a joint resolution of the council and Shelby County Commission. Commissioner Tami Sawyer, who was present at the meeting, said the legislation would “make sure that justice and equality exists in our policies” and that “investigations are handled with swift justice.”

Ford said the legislation should be drafted when the council meets again in two weeks.

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Strickland Asks For Trust On Banks’ Shooting

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said he “completely backs” Memphis Police Department (MPD) director Michael Rallings’ decision to involve the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) in the investigation of Martavious Banks’ shooting.

Strickland said at a Friday press conference that the administration is pledging its full cooperation with the investigation into the officer-involved shooting of Banks.

“The notion that cameras were turned off before the shooting is disturbing to me,” Strickland said. “It’s unacceptable, inexcusable, and it will not be tolerated.”

While TBI is investigation the shooting itself, MPD is leading an internal investigation on the violation of the body-camera policy.

Typically, TBI will only step in when an officer-involved shooting is fatal. But when MPD realized there was a violation of department body-camera policy, Strickland said it was the right call to turn the investigation over to TBI.

[pullquote-2]

At this point, Strickland said it is still unclear whether the officers never had their cameras on or if they were turned off. When asked if this was the result of a lack of officer training, Strickland said it’s not, but rather a lack of following the policy. He said the department needs to “double down” to ensure all of the policies are being followed.

The names of the officers involved have not been released yet. Strickland said releasing the names is now up to TBI and that he can’t give a detailed description of them as it might interfere with the bureau’s investigation. However, Strickland did said they “weren’t seasoned” and were “relatively new” officers.

Strickland said the community should “trust this full, honest investigation that’s going to go on both at MPD and the TBI.”

“We will get to the bottom of this,” Strickland said. “I’m directing our entire city hall staff and all of our resources to get the answers to the questions that we all have.”

Moving forward, some city officials want TBI to investigate all officer-involved shootings, not just the ones that result in death. Memphis City Councilman and Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., along with Commissioner Tami Sawyer, announced Wednesday that they would introduce a joint resolution asking TBI to respond immediately to officer-involved shootings that are both fatal and non-fatal.

Ford said people shouldn’t have to die in order for a thorough investigation to take place.

“I get tired of hearing about officer shootings locally and nationally,” Ford said. “Hopefully, the joint legislation will be one step of many to get justice for those who end up in this situation.”

[pullquote-1]

Ford said he will present the resolution to the council on Tuesday, September 25th along with a list of questions for law enforcement, such as what the disciplinary measures are for an officer who turned off their body camera.

“I hope my colleagues will unanimously support this legislation,” Ford said. “I hope it’s not a polarizing issue. Any issue like this should be investigated and justice should be served.”

Mayor Strickland said he is “totally open” to the legislation, but that the TBI would have to be invited into that conversation in order to make sure they have the resources to be able to do that.

In a statement released Thursday, council member Patrice Robinson said she believes “we need to allow the system to work.”

Here’s her full statement:

“It is an unfortunate situation and my heart goes out to Martavious Banks’ mother and family. I pray that Martavious heals quickly.

I am personally watching this process and at this point, I believe we need to allow the system to work. We will review the contract with the Memphis Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as well as the Memphis Police Association’s Memorandum of Understanding as it relates to disciplinary actions.

As representatives of the citizens of Memphis, it is our responsibility to ensure the fair and adequate treatment of all Memphians.

It is my desire that the citizens of Memphis will be patient and show concern for one another by forming more neighborhood watch groups and resolving to support one another by demanding respectful actions by all.”

Councilman Kemp Conrad said in a statement Friday that the officers’ actions were “inexcusable,” but that he trust the administration to handle the investigation.


Here is his full statement:


“First, I want to say that my thoughts are with the family of Martavious Banks. Words can’t describe the horrific nature of this incident. I hope that he makes a full recovery.


While I support the men and women in blue, it is inexcusable that three officers directly involved did not have cameras turned on during this incident. I recognize that officers have a tough job and incidents like this make it even harder, which is why I am a long-time supporter of this tool of transparency. They protect our officers and the citizens of Memphis.


Furthermore, I support the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigating officer-involved shootings in the City of Memphis.


I have full faith that our Mayor and his administration will handle this investigation efficiently, swiftly, fairly, and with the utmost care.”