MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There’s new information in a deadly police shooting in South Memphis.
Friday afternoon the TBI said they found a gun they believe was used to shoot at police officers during a chase on Wednesday.
They also said they know who the second person involved in the chase is, but they are not releasing his name.
He is not in police custody and has not been charged.
The suspect in the case, Johnathan Bratcher was shot and killed by officers behind a church off South Parkway East.
The identity of the officers involved in the shooting, one black and one white, will not be released until a debriefing process is completed.
However many in the South Memphis community where the shooting happened still have questions.
“In order for any of us to get closure in situations like this we need to know more details. We need to understand a timeline, have some facts so that it helps in the healing process. I think of this as a grieving process,” said Roshun Austin.
Austin is the Chief Operator with St. Andrews AME Church which is also the home to a public charter school.
Austin has made it her mission to help out in the community, which on Wednesday turned into a crime scene.
“There was a pursuit in the church’s front yard,” she explained.
A memorial now remains behind two churches where Bratcher took his last breath.
“I serve many of the children and families who were his neighbors and he was our neighbor,” said Austin.
She said right now it’s tough because people want more details, they want facts.
She said many have feelings or distrust because they feel disempowered.
“They’re grieving because they already have a feeling of hopelessness.”
“It’s a whole lot of rumors being said about that, a whole lot of stories going around,” said Regina Smith, who works in the area.
On Friday, the TBI might have cleared up some rumors.
They said Bratcher had a gun and fired at officers.
They also told said a second man ran from officers, but is not in custody and will not be charged.
Mayor Jim Strickland acknowledged there’s a mistrust of law enforcement in Memphis and believes more can be done to work with communities.
“We need to do a better job of reaching out to them and building off that trust,” said Strickland.
There’s no timeline for when the TBI will be done with their investigation.
Once their investigation is complete they will turn their findings over to Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich who will decide what happens next.
