MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The case against the man charged with shooting a Memphis Police officer during a traffic stop on I-240 is headed to a Shelby County Grand Jury.
Geronimo Kee is charged with attempted first-degree murder, intentionally evading arrest in an automobile, employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and speeding. His bond had originally been set at $175,000, which the MPA sounded off about on social media. The day after that post on Tuesday, March 12, a judge increased the bond to $500,000.
Kee remains in the Shelby County Jail. The case was sent to the grand jury on July 8, 2024.
Four others are also charged in the case.
According to MPD, the officer was shot near I-240 and South Parkway around 4:30 a.m., March 8, 2024. According to the affidavit, an officer was conducting a traffic stop on a black Nissan Sentra that had been going 81 mph in a 55 mph zone. Another officer arrived at the scene during the stop, and the affidavit said the driver, identified as Geronimo Kee, refused to sign a traffic ticket and told the officers "You're going to have to kill me" as they tried to get him to sign the ticket.
The affidavit said the officers tried to convince Kee for 14 minutes to sign the ticket, told him he would be arrested if he refused, and that he kept repeating they would have to kill him. When asked why he would say that, the affidavit said Kee would just repeat the same. The affidavit said the officer told Kee he would break the window to arrest him if he didn't sign, and Kee refused, so the officer broke the window and that's when Kee fired, hitting the officer several times. The other officer fired back as police said Kee sped off from the scene.
The officer was taken to Regional One Health in critical condition. He was later updated to stable and has since been released from the hospital.
According to the affidavit, the Sentra was found abandoned in the 500 block of Dempster. Investigators said the back window had been shot and there was blood on the armrest.
Investigators said in the affidavit they tracked down Kee's girlfriend and found Kee at her apartment after conducting surveillance. They said Kee appeared to have been shot in the hand and he was taken to Regional One Hospital.
The others who were at the apartment were detained. MPD said Zaire Kee, Tezaree Pennington, Kennedy Williams, and Malik Oliver were charged with accessory after the fact two wit: first-degree murder. All are out of jail after posting bond. Their cases were also sent to the grand jury on July 8, 2024.
An ABC24 crew member caught video of an ambulance rushing the officer to Regional One Health.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young had released the following statement after the shooting: "This morning's shooting of an MPD officer is an unfortunate reminder of the dangerous situations that our officers face each day, and we stand with them in support. We are praying for the officer to make a speedy recovery as MPD works hard to identify and capture the suspect."
All southbound lanes on I-240 and South Parkway East were shut down during the investigation, but later reopened.