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In a tragic incident early Friday morning, Derrick Bonham, a deputy with the Weakley County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee, was fatally wounded after responding to an emergency call about potential gunfire. This heartbreaking news has sent ripples of sorrow through the community and law enforcement family.
According to a statement from the Martin Police Department, officers were dispatched to the scene at 2:51 a.m., with Deputy Bonham and fellow deputies providing backup. The deputies noticed a vehicle pulling away from 821 University Street. As they attempted to engage, the driver opened fire, hitting Deputy Bonham.
Deputy Bonham was quickly transported to Volunteer Community Hospital, where, despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries. The suspect, a woman, allegedly shot Bonham from inside her vehicle before exiting and firing again, further intensifying the threat.
Bonham leaves behind a grieving family, including his wife and three children. Weakley County Sheriff Terry McDade painted a picture of Bonham as an exemplary officer and individual, saying, “He was the kind of person you want on your team, always calm and composed. Our department is devastated, but our loss pales in comparison to the unimaginable grief of his young family.”
Bonham was a husband and a father of three. Weakley County Sheriff Terry McDade described Bonham thusly: “The kind of person you want to hire. He just never caused an issue. I don’t think I ever heard the kid raise his voice to anyone. We are devastated to say the least, but nothing compared to what his young family is feeling.”
The shooting suspect is in custody.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He holds a PhD in Military History with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on X: @awrhawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.