TBI releases name of man killed in Monday’s officer-involved shooting

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) updated its findings from Monday night’s shooting that involved a Memphis Police officer.

TBI said 38-year-old James West Jr. of Sarah, Mississippi is the man who authorities found deceased inside a vehicle at the Valero off Winchester Road and Lamar Avenue in Parkway Village.

West died after exchanging gunfire with a Memphis Police officer barely 500 feet away at the Exxon on Winchester Road and Goodlett Street, running to the Valero after the shootout.

The officer, who has not been identified at this time, was taken to Regional One.

At last check, the officer was in stable condition.

“It’s every day,” said Police Chief CJ Davis, on the potential danger her officers face. “Our officer was responding to a suspicious vehicle and in that instance, you just never know what you’re going to be faced with.”

At this time, there is no indication of how the suspicious vehicle call to MPD led to shots fired.

Surveillance videos at the Exxon and Valero were already obtained by investigators when we went by, and neither store would comment on camera.

At Memphis City Council on Tuesday morning, Davis commented briefly on the officer’s condition.

“He’s doing as good as can be expected, considering what he went through last night,” the MPD Chief said.

Davis said officer training and preparation are key when confronted with these situations.

“Our focus is always to protect the public and try to ensure that dangerous individuals aren’t on our street,” Chief Davis said. “Sometimes our officer is the one who actually intercepts that.”

According to TBI, this is the third shooting this year they have been requested to investigate in Memphis.

There have also been two instances in Shelby County and one in Collierville.

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