Officers Justified in Whitehaven Shooting

Dec. 14, 2020 – Memphis police officers acted within the law when they fatally shot a 20-year-old man last year in Whitehaven as he ran at one officer while holding a knife, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

The shooting of Abdoulaye Thiam on the night of Jan. 2, 2019, outside his home at 1317 Timothy Drive was recorded on the officers’ body-worn cameras.

Police were called to the address from someone inside the house who said there was a disturbance. When officers arrived, Thiam was in the front yard holding a knife, and would not respond to their orders to drop it.

Instead, Thiam ran toward one officer, holding the knife in his hand. Three of the four officers fired shots, including one officer who was retreating to avoid being stabbed. Thiam was struck four times and was pronounced dead at the scene.

DA Weirich said officers were justified in using deadly force because Thiam “posed a threat of serious bodily injury” to one or more officers. She said the man’s actions left officers with no other alternative.

According to procedure, the incident was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. That report – and a PowerPoint summary by DA Weirich – now is posted at https://www.scdag.com/officer-involved-deaths.

Redactions have been made in accordance with Tennessee law and privacy standards.