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Police capture man suspected of killing Memphis police officer

By Danielle Haynes
Tremaine Wilbourn, the man accused of fatally shooting Memphis, Tenn., police officer Sean Bolton, turned himself in to police Monday. Photo courtesy the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Tremaine Wilbourn, the man accused of fatally shooting Memphis, Tenn., police officer Sean Bolton, turned himself in to police Monday. Photo courtesy the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

MEMPHIS, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- The man suspected of killing Memphis, Tenn., police officer Sean Bolton this weekend surrendered to police Monday, Shelby County officials said.

Tremaine Wilbourn, 29, turned himself in to federal marshals, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office told CNN.

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Law enforcement had launched a manhunt for Wilbourn after he allegedly shot Bolton multiple times Saturday night.

"Officer Bolton apparently interrupted some sort of drug transaction," said Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said. "A digital scale and a small baggie of marijuana ... were located inside of the vehicle."

Armstong said Wilbourn had been out on supervised release for a 121-month sentence for robbery when the incident occurred.

"We're talking about less than 2 grams of marijuana. You're talking about a misdemeanor citation," he said. "We probably would not have even transported for that."

On Sunday, an arrest warrant for murder was issued for Wilbourn and on Monday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation added him to its Top Ten Most Wanted list. He was considered armed and dangerous.

Bolton was the 19th police officer to be killed by violent suspects in the United States this year. He was the third Memphis officer to be fatally shot in a little more than four years.

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