MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The grandmother of Tremaine Wilbourn, the man accused of killing Memphis Police Officer Sean Bolton on Saturday night, said she has a message: She said she’s sorry to everyone involved in the crime, and she said she knows many people are hurting, including her family.
“Both families lost,” Wilbourn’s grandmother, Sandra Richardson, said. “We weren’t there to know what went down, but we know that that police officer was just doing his job.”
With tears in her eyes, Richardson said she is stunned. She said her heart is heavy for Bolton’s family and the city of Memphis.
“Sorry that everything got out of hand,” she said, as she wiped away tears.
Richardson said she raised Wilbourn and still can’t believe her grandson’s mugshot is making the rounds across the country. She said the last time she talked to him was just hours before the shooting.
“We were in my living room, we were sitting there talking,” she said. “I talked to him that Saturday.”
Police said Wilbourn shot Bolton when the officer interrupted what they believe to have been drug deal around 9:15 p.m. Bolton initially approached the car because it was illegally parked on Summerlane Avenue, near Cottonwood and Perkins Roads. Police said after Wilbourn shot Bolton, he took off and was on the run until around 5:00 p.m. Monday when he turned himself in.
“Something so stupid got out of hand,” Richardson said.
MPD Director Toney Armstrong said there were less than two grams of marijuana in the car at the time. Richardson said she has no idea why Wilbourn didn’t cooperate.
“Let the man do his job and go on downtown. Let him book you, get it over with and get home again,” she said, shaking her head.
Wilbourn is no stranger to the law. He has been on federal probation for the last year after he held up a bank in Covington in 2005. Richardson said thought the father of three was getting his life in order.
“He was trying to get it together, trying to walk the right way.”
As tears rolled down her face, Richardson said not a minute goes by when she’s not thinking of her grandson.
“I love you Tremaine, grandmother keep you in my prayers baby.”
The words she kept repeating: “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry that things got out of hand, sorry for the family, sorry for myself because we both lost,” she said.
Officials with the Memphis Police Association created “The Sean Bolton Fund” at SunTrust and online for those wishing to donate to the former Marine and White Station High School graduate’s family.
