Police Officer, Husband and Father of 3 Dies After Being Shot in the Line of Duty
A St. Louis police officer who was shot in the head Saturday after a suspect had barricaded himself inside a house has died.
Tamarris Bohannon, 29, died Sunday night a little more than a day after a hidden gunman shot him in the head while police responded to a report of a person being shot.
Bohannon is survived by his wife as well as three children, all of whom are under 10 years old.
Officer Tamarris L. Bohannon dedicated over three and a half years of service to the citizens of the City of St. Louis.
We will be deeply missed. https://t.co/pyE6QdQ3Uk pic.twitter.com/qXFn0AiqYg
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) August 31, 2020
A loving wife has lost her partner. 3 children have lost their father. @SLMPD has lost a fine officer. And the loss of Tamarris Bohannon leaves them all broken hearted. My deepest condolences & fervent prayers are with them all. I pray this violence and rage is extinguished soon. pic.twitter.com/GSFe4VrC8K
— Compatriot (@CompatriotUSA) August 31, 2020
This is terrible news and a dangerous trend. Since June, 8 St. Louis police officers have been shot. These two in an apparent ambush. And one of them was shot in the head. We need our police more than even. #ThinBlueLine https://t.co/3JPhct1Sol
— Matthew Kenney (@MattKenneyUSA) August 30, 2020
According to KDSK-TV, Bohannon was shot in the head at about 5:45 p.m. Saturday after he and a fellow officer responded to a call at the home of Steve and Mimi Hagg on the south side of St. Louis.
The couple said the gunman did not shoot at them but made them leave the house.
Police said that after Bohannon and his partner arrived, Bohannon looked for a shooting victim and was shot in the head.
When police went to his assistance, a second officer was shot in the leg.
Citing sources it did not name, KDSK said the gunman had sought an upper level in the house to “get a better vantage point to shoot at the responding officers.”
The St. Louis Police Officers Association said in a statement that “Bohannon was shot in the head by a gunman who fired multiple shots at officers responding to the scene of a 911 call for ‘a person shot.’ A second responding officer was shot in the leg by the gunman, suffering non-life-threatening injuries. After an hours long standoff with police, where the shooter continued to fire on officers, the gunman was taken into custody.”
Bohannon’s family released a hand-written statement.
“It is with great sadness we share the loss of Officer Tamarris ‘T’ Bohannon, affectionately known as ‘Bo’ by his squad of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department,” they said. “A three year veteran who was raised & continued to live and raise his family in the city in which he patrolled.
“He is a hero to many, but most importantly to his loving wife and three incredible children. The loss of this great man is felt deeply within the St. Louis community and we ask for your prayers and support in the days ahead.
“The loss of this great man is felt deeply within the St. Louis community and we ask for your prayers and support in the days ahead.”
A letter from the family of Officer Tamarris L. Bohannon. https://t.co/wqk7LAQXMx pic.twitter.com/J902dj415w
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) August 31, 2020
Bohannon’s death cast a pall over fellow officers and the community.
“Bo was described as a ‘difference-maker’ by those who knew him well. He sought to make a difference for all people in the community he served because they mattered. The unnecessary sacrifice of this dedicated public servant should be mourned by all because his life mattered,” the St. Louis Police Officers Association said in its statement.
“Bo’s loss will be deeply felt by those who worked with him and those he served in this community. But his loss will be most keenly felt by his family and close friends. To his family and friends, the SLPOA offers our deepest condolences and support in this difficult time. We will never forget or fail to honor his dedication or the sacrifice of our brother in blue, Tamarris L. Bohannon. Godspeed, Bo,” the association said.
Thomas Kinworthy, 43, was taken into custody, according to KMOV-TV. The station reported he has a criminal history in Florida and Missouri.
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