MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has identified a man who died after exchanging gunfire with a Memphis police officer Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, as Jaylin Keshawn McKenzie, 20, of Atlanta, Georgia.
The officer was not injured during the incident, which started close to midnight in the area of American Way but ended on a side street near grassy area in the 4700 block of Cochese Avenue, according to the TBI.
The TBI said that the incident started as a traffic stop in American Way but the driver of the vehicle "drove off."
When the car ended up "off the road" in the grassy area, at least three people got out of the car and ran in different directions, according to the TBI.
MPD claims that the vehicle they observed was "suspicious" and that the people that exited the car were all armed.
According to MPD, one suspect - identified as McKenzie - shot at officers and when one officer returned fire, it struck the suspect. Additional officers rendered aid, according to MPD, but the suspect died on the scene.
MPD claims there were three other suspects that are men and they are still at large.
At the request of District Attorney Steve Mulroy, TBI special agents are said to be investigating the circumstances leading to the shooting. These agents are "working independently," to "determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews," according to the TBI.