(Memphis) Terrance Shaw has resigned from the Memphis Police Department.
Police said an administrative hearing began Friday, and during Monday’s continued hearing, Shaw chose to resign.
Officer Terrance Shaw was off-duty when he shot and killed 15-year-old Justin Thompson in the Parkway Village area in September 2012.
The Shelby County District Attorney chose not to prosecute, because of “insufficient evidence to create a reasonable chance for a conviction against Mr. Shaw, particularly when considered with the foreseeable defense that could be raised under the evidence.”
Shaw said that he was acting in self-defense.
The criminal investigation was conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Their findings are not public.
Last week, we showed you text messages that may prove Shaw had set up a meeting with Thompson prior to the shooting.
More on this case: http://digital-stage.wreg.com/tag/terrance-shaw/
On Monday, Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said, “We expect our officers to conduct themselves in a matter that’s above and beyond reproach. It shouldn’t be questionable. Certainly as long as this case went on, I think there are several questions that we had at the inception of it. And still several questions that we have.”
Armstrong said that a police officer should not have put himself in the position of being alone with a minor without consent of the parent.
In response to Shaw’s resignation, the victim’s mother, Shirley Thompson, said, “That’s good. But he still can go out there and kill somebody, just like he did my son.”
Thompson said she has yet to hear any details of why her son was meeting Shaw that night.
Her message to Shaw would be, “Just tell the truth. I really want to know what happened to my son.”
