Authorities Identify Suspect Wanted in Fatal Shooting of Memphis Police Officer During Traffic Stop

The alleged gunman who shot and killed a Memphis police officer during a traffic stop was free on supervised release stemming from a bank robbery conviction, FOX13 reported.

Tremaine Wilbourn, 29, was sentenced to 121 months in prison in February for the robbery. But Wilbourn, who had also been arrested in 2014 on a charge of aggravated robbery, paid a fine and agreed to mental health treatment on July 7.

Less than a month later, a warrant for first-degree murder has been issued for Wilbourn.

Tremaine Wilbourn

Officer Sean Bolton, a 33-year-old former Marine who served a tour in Iraq, may have interrupted an illicit drug transaction when he encountered a Mercedes-Benz illegally parked on a Memphis street Saturday night, Police Director Toney Armstrong said at a Sunday evening press conference.

Sean Bolton

After Bolton illuminated the Mercedes with his spotlight, he approached the vehicle and was confronted by its passenger, who allegedly shot Bolton multiple times after a struggle, the director said.

Armstrong told reporters that 1.7 grams of marijuana was found inside the vehicle.

“He’s a coward,” Armstrong said of the suspect, Wilbourn, “you gunned down, you murdered a police officer, for less than 2 grams of marijuana. You literally destroyed a family.”

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The driver of the vehicle turned himself in to authorities Sunday morning, and has since been released without charge, Armstrong said at the press conference.

Police were initially alerted about 9:18 p.m. Saturday that an officer had been shot multiple times. Armstrong said the officer was transported in critical condition to a hospital, where he died.

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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.

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