Exclusive—Wife of Memphis Cop: ‘Glorification of Criminals Must Stop’

A Memphis police officer’s wife told Breitbart News in an exclusive statement she is furious that Indiegogo would host a fundraiser for accused cop killer Tremaine Wilbourn.

Wilbourn allegedly shot Officer Sean Bolton several times when Bolton “interrupted” a drug deal on Saturday. The Associated Press reported:

On Saturday night, police said Wilbourn was a passenger in a 2002 Mercedes Benz that was parked illegally in the southeast Memphis neighborhood. Bolton approached the car, Wilbourn got out of the Mercedes and the two men got into a struggle, police said.

Wilbourn took out a gun and fired, striking Bolton multiple times. Then Wilbourn and the driver ran away as a civilian used Bolton’s radio to notify police, authorities said.

“I have been contacting Indiegogo since I came across the campaign to delete it, but had no success,” she told Breitbart News. “It is outrageous and especially hurtful to those this case hits close to home. My husband is a Memphis police officer, and he met Officer Bolton during training from time to time. My husband said Officer Bolton loved being a police officer.”

The officer’s wife, who asked to remain anonymous, echoed former NYPD officer John Cardillo’s remarks that domestic violence calls and traffic stops are the two most dangerous encounters cops can face.

“People think routine traffic stops are nothing to worry about, but my husband fears for his life every time he has to approach someone during a routine traffic stop,” she said. “I have seen videos of police officers get killed during a traffic stop, so for anyone to say policemen following protocol for officer safety is police brutality and oppression is absolutely ignorant. If it is between my husband’s life and a criminal pointing a weapon at my husband, I will always support my husband’s action to come home to me and my child.”

“Glorification of criminals must stop, and any case of black criminals being classified as a ‘race’ issue and arguments of oppression and police brutality must come to a stop,” she added.

Wilbourn has so far shown no remorse. He surrendered after a two-day manhunt. “I want you to know that one, I’m not a cold-blooded killer and two, I am not a coward,” he reportedly told Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong.

Email Katie at kmchugh@breitbart.com. Follow her on Twitter: @k_mcq.