A man, identified as Joel Alejandro Bowman, was shot by a Memphis police officer on Monday following an incident where he attempted to gain entry to a Hebrew school. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has charged Bowman in connection with the case.
According to the TBI’s statement, Bowman, aged 33, was hospitalized after the shooting that occurred on Monday afternoon. The charges against him include carrying weapons on school property, reckless endangerment, attempted second-degree murder, possessing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and assault against a first responder.
The TBI is leading the investigation into the events at Margolin Hebrew Academy, as well as the subsequent shooting involving the police. However, the motive behind Bowman’s actions has not been disclosed yet.
The TBI’s statement did not explicitly specify whether the attempted second-degree murder charge was related to the incident at the school or the encounter with the police.
The bureau reports that Bowman attempted to enter the school premises at around 12:30 p.m. on Monday while carrying a handgun. However, he was unable to gain access and fired several shots in the area before fleeing in a pickup truck.
Approximately an hour later, around 1:30 p.m., the police stopped the truck. At this point, Bowman allegedly stepped out of the vehicle holding a handgun, which led to the Memphis police officer shooting him.
As of Wednesday night, no contact information for Bowman was immediately available, and it remains unclear whether he has legal representation.
In response to the incident, Margolin Hebrew Academy issued a statement expressing shock and sadness. They also reassured the public that everyone on their premises was safe. The school expressed gratitude for their security measures and praised the prompt response of the Memphis police.
(Note: A correction was made to the initial article regarding the specific criminal charge against Bowman, stating that he is charged with attempted second-degree murder, not second-degree murder.)