MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into 38 shootings involving police, the agency said Wednesday after officers fatally shot a man in a Memphis suburb.
TBI spokesman Josh DeVine told The Associated Press about the active probes across the state after the agency began investigating the death of Toby Bailey, 38. Bailey was killed early Wednesday when police said he barricaded himself inside a house and raised a handgun at officers who had barged into the residence.
The TBI investigates fatal police shootings when requested by the district attorney in the county where the shooting happened.
The agency is also looking into the police shooting of a Memphis man who was critically wounded but survived. Some lawmakers are calling for the TBI to investigate all shootings where police are involved, even those that are not fatal.
In the most recent shooting, officers went to a Bartlett home Tuesday night on a domestic violence call when Bailey ran inside and threatened officers, the TBI said in a news release.
Bailey fired several shots inside the home before SWAT officers from the Bartlett Police Department deployed tear gas and entered, TBI said.
Officers said Bailey raised a handgun toward police before at least two officers shot at him, according to TBI.
Bailey died on the scene. The officers’ names and races have not been released.
A Rottweiler dog also was shot and killed by police during the incident.
Police, family members and a pastor tried to convince Bailey, who was black, to surrender, TBI said.
TBI will turn over results of its investigation to Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich. She will decide whether to pursue charges against the officers.
The bureau also is investigating the Sept. 17 shooting of Martavious Banks in Memphis.
Police say Banks, 25, was driving a car that was stopped by officers, who said they saw a gun in the vehicle. Police said Banks, who is black, ran away and was shot. He was hospitalized in critical condition.
Three officers have been relieved of duty pending the investigation into the Banks shooting. Memphis police have said the officer who shot Banks is black. The two other officers were involved in the traffic stop and arrived at the scene after the shooting happened.
The three officers did not have their in-car or body cameras activated during the confrontation, a possible violation of police policy, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings has said.
Activists have challenged police accounts of the Banks shooting.
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