Memphis Manhunt for Cop Killer

Posted on | August 3, 2015 | 39 Comments

Shooting suspect Tremaine Wilbourn (left); Officer Sean Bolton (right).

Tremaine Wilbourn Hunted Over Shooting
of Memphis Police Officer Sean Bolton
— NBC News

Police issue warrant in slaying of officer
— Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis police officer killed; suspect identified
— CNN

MPD: Tremaine Wilbourn wanted
in shooting of Officer Sean Bolton
— WHBQ-TV, Memphis

Toney Armstrong, director of the Memphis Police Department, gave an emotional press conference after Officer Bolton was murdered:

“As a community we say so often as a theme — black lives matter. And at the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves, do all lives matter? Regardless of race, creed, color, economic status, what profession that person holds,” Armstrong said. “All lives matter. And this is just a reminder of how dangerous this job is.”
“One life is too many, but how do you put a value on somebody’s life? How do you say one life is more important than another,” Armstrong said later during the press conference. “So, again, what we need more than anything right now is just your prayers again for this MPD family as well as this officer’s family.” . . .
Bolton’s death is the third police officer death in four years with Armstrong at the helm of the police force, he said during the press conference. In December 2012, Officer Martoiya Lang was killed; Officer Timothy Warren’s life was taken in January 2011.

Wilbourn, 29, had been sentenced to serve 10 years for robbery, but was out on “supervised release.” Officer Bolton, 33, was a veteran of the Marine Corps who served a tour of duty in Iraq. Officer Bolton was killed late Saturday night:

Armstrong said Bolton, a patrolman assigned to the Mt. Moriah station, saw a red 2002 Mercedes-Benz parked illegally on Summerlane. Bolton pulled in front of the car and turned on his spotlight.
As Bolton approached the Mercedes, the passenger got out and a struggle ensued, police said. The passenger then opened fire, hitting Bolton multiple times at close range.
“After inventorying the suspect vehicle, it was found that Officer Bolton apparently interrupted some sort of drug transaction,” Armstrong said, noting that police found a digital scale and 1.7 grams of marijuana. “We’re talking about less than 2 grams of marijuana. We’re talking about a misdemeanor citation. We probably would not have even transported for that.”
That fact particularly outraged Armstrong.
“You gun down, you murder a police officer, for less than 2 grams of marijuana,” he said. “You literally destroy a family. Look at the impact this has had on this department, this community, this city, for less than 2 grams of marijuana.”

This is what cops deal with every day. There are lots of criminals on the streets of America’s cities, criminals like Tremaine Wilbourn turned loose parole or probation, criminals who love violence and hate cops. The cop who goes to work every day never knows when his next traffic stop might cost him his life. When the media irresponsibly demonize the police, portraying criminals as “victims of society,” they send a dangerous message that incites lawless violence.

Since the April riots in Baltimore, violent crime in the city has escalated to unprecedented levels, with 45 murders during the month of July, the most since 1972, when Baltimore had 275,000 more residents. This is a direct result of the anti-cop rhetoric spewed by irresponsible demagogues and promoted by the national media.

You cannot protect innocent citizens by demonizing the police.

Category: Crime

Comments

39 Responses to “Memphis Manhunt for Cop Killer”

Evi L. Bloggerlady
August 3rd, 2015 @ 8:42 am

RIP Officer Bolton. My condolences to his family.
Dana
August 3rd, 2015 @ 9:00 am

This is part of the problem:

After inventorying the suspect vehicle, it was found that Officer Bolton apparently interrupted some sort of drug transaction,” Armstrong said, noting that police found a digital scale and 1.7 grams of marijuana. “We’re talking about less than 2 grams of marijuana. We’re talking about a misdemeanor citation. We probably would not have even transported for that.

Given that Mr Wilbourn was out on “supervised release,” he damned well should have been arrested and locked up. This is the kind of thing that happens when the criminal justice system is too lenient on criminals. Had Mr Wilbourn been where he actually belonged, in jail, Officer Bolton would still be alive today!
Jeanette Victoria
August 3rd, 2015 @ 10:28 am

Obama’s DOJ at work
texlovera
August 3rd, 2015 @ 11:27 am

Ding ding ding.
texlovera
August 3rd, 2015 @ 11:28 am

If Obama had a son….
texlovera
August 3rd, 2015 @ 11:30 am

Seeing as how Mr. Wilbourn doesn’t put much of a value on human life, he shouldn’t object to having his own taken away then…
kilo6
August 3rd, 2015 @ 12:17 pm

If 0bama did have a son I wonder if he would have named him Frank Marshall 0bama… or if he would have wound up dead in an abortion mill–wouldn’t want anyone unnecessarily “punished with a baby”
Perry: Trump is Still a ‘Cancer on Conservatism’ and I Forget What Else… | Regular Right Guy
August 3rd, 2015 @ 12:36 pm

[…] Memphis Manhunt for Cop Killer […]
marcus tullius cicero
August 3rd, 2015 @ 12:39 pm

…Why is this man laughing?… The mayor of Memphis!
Art Deco
August 3rd, 2015 @ 12:50 pm

As Bolton approached the Mercedes,

A 29 year old ex-con is driving a Benz? I know ‘probable cause’ is a shizzy lawyer’s term-of-art that does not mean what sensible people take it to mean, but if you see anyone driving a Benz who does not look like a man old enough and dapper enough to have made a pile in real estate (or to be married to a man who’s made a pile in real estate), why would you not be tempted to pull that car over?
Grumley
August 3rd, 2015 @ 1:07 pm

Unfortunately, based upon my experience working for an automotive aftermarket retailer, one cannot make the assumption that just because someone is young, they should not be driving a Mercedes, BMW, Cadillac, or other “luxury” car. There are a lot of used Benz’, Beemers, and Caddies out there that these young folks get their hands on and drive because image. Now if it was a brand new Benz, well…
DeadMessenger
August 3rd, 2015 @ 1:39 pm

Of course, that is the common sense conclusion. And you know what society in general thinks of that.
DeadMessenger
August 3rd, 2015 @ 1:57 pm

Sure, but it says that Bolton was assigned to the “Mt. Moriah station”. So I’d like to know the average salary demographic in that area. I personally can’t afford a used Benz ( or Beemer). Not considering parts, labor, tires, insurance, spinners, leather reupholstery, and chrome bling, let’s say. Most especially if I’d been downtown for a while, like this guy.

If the Mt. Moriah area is what it sounds like, then I’d guess that only a drug dealer could afford one of these cars, which is probably why Officer Bolton was investigating.

Do they have the death penalty in TN? I hope so.
RKae
August 3rd, 2015 @ 2:06 pm

I like how Obama says “If I had a son…”

It makes me think that he’s really not sure.
Grumley
August 3rd, 2015 @ 2:15 pm

Absolutely correct. What is astonishing to me is that this Mr. Armstrong, alleged “director” of the Memphis Police Department, misses an absolutely fundamental piece of the equation. Any form of supervised release usually has stipulations, one of those being mandatory drug screening. Flunk the drug test, it is highly probable you are going back to jail, something Mr. Wilbourn wishes to avoid at all costs. Mr. Armstrong should know this but is surprised at the reaction from a convicted thug who is caught is a drug transaction, misdemeanor or not. Now this thug is definitely going back to jail unless someone plugs his worthless azz.
Grumley
August 3rd, 2015 @ 2:33 pm

You would be surprised. The store I worked in for over 20 years is located very near one of the poorest neighborhoods in my city. You would not believe how many of my customers drove Benz’, Beemers, Caddies, and other so-called luxury vehicles. Just because these neighborhoods are poor does not mean they have NO money. Most of my customers were not interested in chrome and other bling (spinners are so yesterday). They were just interested in keeping their cars running and doing it the cheapest way possible (one of the reasons I left my job)

And yes, Tennessee does have the death penalty.
Art Deco
August 3rd, 2015 @ 2:49 pm

There are a lot of used Benz’, Beemers, and Caddies out there that
these young folks get their hands on and drive because image.

Mr. Dalrock, please pick up the white courtesy phone…
Mark N Starla Traina
August 3rd, 2015 @ 4:11 pm

NAAWP offers REWARD for YOUNG BLACK MEMPHIS COP KILLA!

Wanted DEAD or ALIVE: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/03/manhunt-intensifies-accused-memphis-cop-killer/31047365/

NAAWP is offering a REWARD for INFORMATION leading to the ARREST of this YOUNG BLACK KILLA!

Follow U.S. on FACEBOOK: NAAWP

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for the ADVANCEMENT of WHITE PEOPLE – 2015
Jim R
August 3rd, 2015 @ 4:59 pm

Perhaps I’m being to harsh, but it almost sounds to me like Armstrong is trying to, if not exactly excuse, then at least advocate for the killer.

“If only we didn’t criminalize drugs, this never would have happened!”

No, if only we didn’t let FVCKING ARMED BANK ROBBERS OUT OF PRISON, this wouldn’t have happened.
Bob Belvedere
August 3rd, 2015 @ 6:31 pm

Sadly, just got word that this POS was captured alive.
andycanuck
August 3rd, 2015 @ 6:44 pm

Yes; reported here.
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/08/03/memphis-cop-killer-tremaine-wilbourn-turns-himself-in-to-federal-marshals/
Mike G.
August 3rd, 2015 @ 7:08 pm

But you just know if this “young black man with a promising future” was gunned down resisting arrest, mssrs Jackson and Sharpton and their merry band of race hustlers would all converge on Memphis in a hurry staging all kinds of mischief.

Even though anybody with the least lick of common sense knows the universal axiom… Do stupid shit, stupid shit happens.
Want to reduce killings of police officers? Then keep the bad guys locked up, locked up for the maximum sentence allowed by law, and don’t let them out early! | The First Street Journal.
August 3rd, 2015 @ 9:05 pm

[…] now we learn that Tremaine Wilbourn, 29, who murdered Memphis Police Officer Sean Bolton, had been sentenced to […]
Grumley
August 3rd, 2015 @ 9:25 pm

According to Fox News (I know, I know), this clown turned himself in. I guess that was a calculated maneuver to keep his azz from getting plugged.
Daniel Freeman
August 3rd, 2015 @ 11:55 pm

OT: Crazy people are dangerous.
Bob Belvedere
August 4th, 2015 @ 6:25 am

If true, then he’s smarter than we think.
Ilion
August 4th, 2015 @ 7:13 am

Why do the police — no matter where — *never* expend this much effort to get the murderer of Joe Schmoe?
Dana
August 4th, 2015 @ 7:39 am

Let’s tell the truth here: they do spend a lot of effort to find the murderer of Joe Schmoe; they don’t spend as much effort to find the murderer of Umgwana Kik-booti. #BlackLivesDon’tReallyMatter
Adjoran
August 4th, 2015 @ 8:01 am

Amen.

We need to ensure our law enforcement officers are properly trained, supervised, and scrutinized, but there should never be doubt that they are all that stands between us and the savages at home. When libertarian friends complain I am too deferential to the police, I remind them of that.
Adjoran
August 4th, 2015 @ 8:03 am

The perp was in the passenger seat.
Art Deco
August 4th, 2015 @ 9:50 am

About 60% of all homicides are cleared by law enforcement and the bulk of the remainder are in slum neighborhoods where the police are hampered by lack of co-operation.

My old local newspaper published a map of the Genesee Valley some time with the locus of every homicide therein listed and a precis of circumstance. About two-thirds of the homicides were in a zone which contained about 10% of the population of the whole valley. All but one homicide outside that zone was resolved (and resolved with guilty pleas with the exception of a couple of cases ruled non-justiciable and one or two others). They were what you’d expect, generally, which is to say the results of domestic arguments and disputes between friends. In the inner city zone (which included slums and neighborhoods adjacent thereto), some were solved, but one after another was a young adult shot dead in his apartment.or in his car, assailant unknown (to authorities).

Joe Schmoe is avenged. It’s Jamal Washington who is not, and it’s a reasonable inference that in a great many cases that’s because his family and friends are not telling what they know.
Art Deco
August 4th, 2015 @ 9:51 am

The map in question was of homicides occurring during the calendar year 2005.
Ilion
August 4th, 2015 @ 10:00 am

Let’s tell the truth here — the mere fact that we even have the concept ‘cop killer’ as distinct from, and at least implicitly more serious than, ‘murder’ shows that they don’t take the murder of Joe Schmoe (no matter what his race) as seriously.
Gunga
August 4th, 2015 @ 10:24 am

May all of your troubles be a ten-to-twenty-five minute response time away…
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August 4th, 2015 @ 11:36 am

[…] Memphis Manhunt for Cop Killer […]
Rob Crawford
August 4th, 2015 @ 5:22 pm

Attacking a person you know is armed and you know will likely be acquitted of any blame for your death is the sign of a particularly depraved mind.
Daniel Freeman
August 4th, 2015 @ 6:28 pm

To build on Rob’s point, attacking those who protect the weak is the act of a frustrated predator that wants easier predation. It is not only irrational, but explicitly sociopathic.
Daniel Freeman
August 4th, 2015 @ 9:11 pm

Not necessarily. I read that a bunch of relatives accompanied him. I’m guessing they had to make him go.
jdavid
August 6th, 2015 @ 1:42 pm

A “Dead or Alive” bounty would bring this animal in in cuffs or in a body bag in a day or two, probably c/o one of his homies.