TBI’s Banks Investigation Now Online

Nov. 18, 2020 – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s report on the non-fatal shooting of a 25-year-old man by a Memphis officer two years ago in South Memphis has been posted online by Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

The case began with the traffic stop on Sept. 17, 2018, of Martavious Banks who sped away from officers when they noticed a handgun in his front seat.

Banks drove for some five miles at a high rate of speed through the streets of South Memphis trying to elude police before stopping at a residence in the 1200 block of Gill Avenue off of Elvis Presley near South Parkway.

An officer who chased him to the front porch shot Banks five times when he said the suspect turned and began to point a handgun at him. The gun was recovered inside the house where Banks collapsed.

Banks, who recovered from his wounds, pled guilty in August of 2018 to intentionally evading arrest in an automobile and creating a risk of death or injury, and to illegal possession of a firearm while having a prior conviction of domestic violence.

He was sentenced to two years of probation, plus an additional 10 months and 12 days of probation for violating terms of probation for a previous assault conviction.

The officer who fired the shots resigned. Three other officers were disciplined for violations of department policy related to body-worn cameras, pursuit and radio communications.

No criminal charges were brought against the officers.

The Banks criminal case been closed for one year, and with no further action pending it is now is considered a public record under Tennessee law.  Gen. Weirich recently petitioned Chancery Court to obtain an order allowing release of the TBI investigation.

The TBI file on the case can be found here. Redactions have been made in accordance with Tennessee law and privacy standards.