Tamarris L. Bohannon, a 29-year-old Black male, was a dedicated police officer with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department who lost his life in the line of duty. On the evening of August 29, 2020, he and another officer responded to a dispatch call regarding a shooting in the Tower Grove South neighborhood of St. Louis. The officers arrived at the 3700 block of Hartford Street to search for a reported victim.
As they assessed the scene, a gunman positioned in a second-story window of a nearby home ambushed them. The assailant opened fire, striking Bohannon in the head and wounding a second officer, Arlando Bailey, in the leg.
The gunman, identified as 43-year-old Thomas Kinworthy, had forced a couple out of their home at gunpoint earlier that evening and barricaded himself inside the residence. Prior to the ambush on the police, Kinworthy had also shot a homeless man in the area. After shooting the officers, Kinworthy remained barricaded in the house for approximately 12 hours. A SWAT team and negotiators were deployed to the scene, and a long standoff ensued. Police eventually utilized tear gas to force the suspect out, and he was taken into custody early the following morning without further exchange of gunfire.
Bohannon was rushed to St. Louis University Hospital in critical condition. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his severe injuries on August 30, 2020, the day after the shooting. His death marked a significant tragedy for the community and the department, where he had served for over three years. He left behind a wife and three young children, and his body was escorted by fellow officers in a solemn procession following his passing.
Investigations revealed that Kinworthy had a violent criminal history and was a fugitive wanted in Florida for kidnapping and sexual battery at the time of the St. Louis attack. During the legal proceedings that followed, his defense team attempted to argue that he was not guilty by reason of mental defect, a claim that prosecutors vigorously disputed. The legal process faced multiple delays, including issues related to the defendant's mental health evaluations and the illness of a lead prosecutor.
In May 2024, a jury convicted Kinworthy of first-degree murder for the death of the officer, as well as multiple other felonies, including assault, burglary, armed criminal action, and resisting arrest. The following month, in June 2024, the court sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life behind bars. The judge also imposed consecutive maximum sentences for the additional charges, finalizing the legal pursuit of justice for the fallen officer and the other victims of the rampage.
