TBI: MPD officer in critical condition after shooting inside White Station Library, suspect dead

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A Memphis Police Department officer was shot Thursday afternoon.

District Attorney General Steve Mulroy requested the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to investigate the shooting.

According to TBI, at noon Thursday, the Memphis Police Department received a trespassing call from a neighboring business to the White Station Library. 30 minutes later, the same suspect confronted a citizen inside the library, creating a disturbance.

Torence Jackson Jr., 28 — Torence Jackson Jr., 28(Indianapolis Metro Police Department)

Two officers went inside and confronted the suspect, who then produced a weapon and shot one officer. The other officer returned fire, fatally shooting the suspect on the scene.

The officer who was shot was taken to Regional One Hospital in extremely critical condition.

As of 7:35 p.m., the officer remains in critical condition, police say.

TBI has identified the deceased suspect as 28-year-old Torence Jackson Jr. of Indianapolis, Indiana.

At the request of 30th DAG Steve Mulroy, TBI special agents have been requested to investigate an officer-involved shooting in the 5100 block of Poplar Ave. in Memphis.@TBIKeli will provide an update from the scene when possible.

All updates & information will be shared here. pic.twitter.com/VfrCwZsn61
— Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) February 2, 2023

Action News 5 did some digging on Jackson after TBI released his identity.

According to Indianapolis Metro Police Department’s inmate database, Jackson had a history of run-ins with law enforcement, including arrests on charges of theft, battery, robbery, and criminal trespass.

“I work in the Clark Tower and I hear a lot of police sirens and fire trucks,” said Evgeny Balshim. “They come to this place and I got scared and like, what’s going on?”

This is the second time in 2023 the TBI has been called into Memphis to investigate.

“I love the city so much and I never want to leave it,” said Joe Stanley, another eyewitness. “And seeing what people can do and what it can cause... where you got stuff like this happen, two steps forward, five steps back.”

Congressman Steve Cohen issued a statement Thursday evening:

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland also released the following:

White Station Library will be closed for the remainder of Thursday and all day Friday.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter!

Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2023 WMC. All rights reserved.