- Steven James Murphy attempted to rob the armored car worker who pulled out a gun
- He then sprinted into a nearby deli and was confronted by Officer Adam Claiborne
- Murphy attacked the officer with knives in both hands before he was shot
This is the horrific moment a Tennessee police officer shoots a suspect who tried to rob an armored car worker before attacking the officer with two knives.
At approximately 9:13 a.m. Wednesday, Murfreesboro police responded to a 911 call about an armed robbery at The Oaks Shopping Mall, where 44-year-old Steven James Murphy had attempted to rob a worker who was refilling an ATM.
The man, an armored truck driver, “pulled out a weapon,” according to officials. Murphy then came across a nearby restaurant in the Jason’s Deli chain.
Murphy also attempted to rob the deli. The six employees inside fled to safety.
Officer Adam Claiborne, whose bodycam footage was released amid an ongoing investigation, ordered Murphy to drop the two knives he was holding.
Steven James Murphy, 44, of Murfreesboro, was shot after charging at an officer with knives in both hands
Bodycam video shows Murphy – wearing a Friday the 13th T-shirt – walking toward the officer, who yells at him to drop his weapons
In the video, the five-year veteran of the Murfreesboro Police Department enters the deli and shouts “Hey!” when he sees Murphy behind the counter.
Murphy walks briskly toward the officer, knives raised above his head.
The 44-year-old is wearing a T-shirt from the horror franchise “Friday the 13th,” which is about a group of teenage camp counselors who are caught by a masked murderer.
As the man approaches, Claiborne begins to raise his voice and points his gun. “Drop it now!” The officer shouts before the video stops and several shots are fired.
Murfreesboro police spokesman Larry Flowers answered questions from reporters outside the mall.
“After many repeated commands, our officer was forced to fire his service weapon, striking the male subject multiple times,” Flowers said.
He confirmed Murphy was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Neither the armored car employee nor the deli employees were injured.
The responding officer, Adam Claiborne, is a five-year veteran of the force. He has been placed on paid administrative leave while the Office of Professional Responsibility investigates
Murphy attempted to rob an armed driver at an ATM before going into the deli and pointing the knives at the officer
When Murphy came in, there were six employees working at Jason’s Deli. None of them were injured, a police spokesman confirmed
The scene outside The Oats shopping center where Murphy attempted to commit two robberies on Wednesday
“It is a sad day every time a resident of our city loses their life,” Flowers said. “Our condolences go out to his family.” He also expressed his condolences to Claiborne and his family.
The officer was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure as the department’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducts an internal investigation.
The OPR will review all available evidence and body camera videos, Flowers said.
An investigation into the events leading up to the fatal shooting is being conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at the request of District Attorney Jennings Jones.
During the press conference, the spokesman warned that “investigations of this type take time” and asked the community and media for patience.