MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s been five months, and Memphis Police Officer Connor Schilling still does not know if his time as a Memphis police officer is over after he shot and killed Darrius Stewart following a traffic stop that turned into a fight.
It may be even longer before MPD decides Schilling’s future.
“We started an administrative hearing, but we called a recess in it,” Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said.
He opened up about the TBI report unsealed Tuesday. He told WREG he wasn’t surprised by what was in the 800 pages but said police will review it before making a decision on any punishment for Schilling.
Days before Schilling was scheduled to have his administrative hearing last month, he went on sick leave, so police postponed it. Wednesday, police confirmed he is no longer on the sick board, and, in fact, his hearing began last month.
Now they’re going through the TBI report.
“The TBI certainly conducted a hearing to find if there were any criminal misgivings. We will look at that. We want to make sure we interviewed everybody they interviewed,” Armstrong said.
The Memphis Police Association represents officers in administrative hearings.
“We can put on a case to attempt to vindicate that officer or attempt to refute the accusations being made and charges themselves,” Police Union President Mike Williams said.
Police could look at why Schilling did not handcuff Stewart immediately, why he put his gun back in his holster when Stewart ran and then ran after him, and even why, as Schilling himself stated, he did not radio for backup until it was over.
“It was a fight, and people need to realize all of this could have been avoided simply with compliance,” Williams said.
There are several options that police could decide on when it comes to Officer Schilling’s future. He could face anything from a short suspension to full termination.
There is no word on when that administrative hearing will wrap up.