Ohio woman charged with murder of Weakley County Sheriff’s deputy

UPDATE:
An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the arrest of an Ohio woman in connection to the shooting death of a Weakley County deputy.

On Friday morning just before 3:00 a.m., deputies with the Weakley County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist officers with the Martin Police Department in reference to a report of shots fired at a hotel on University Street.

A deputy who was checking a nearby gas station for witnesses encountered 44-year-old Khristi Dawn Cunningham.

For reasons still under investigation, Cunningham brandished a weapon and shot the deputy. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died. No other officers were injured in the incident.

Martin Police officers responded to the shooting scene and took Cunningham into custody.

TBI agents have charged Cunningham with first degree murder.

She is being held without bond.


ORIGINAL STORY:
A Weakley County Sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed in the line of duty in an incident in Martin early Friday morning.

The Martin Police Department said they received a call about a disturbance and possibly shots being fired near the Days Inn on University Street just before 3 a.m. As Weakley County deputies and Martin Police arrived in the area, a vehicle was seen fleeing from a nearby gas station. The driver is said to have shot at and hit one of the Weakley County deputies.

The deputy, later identified by KYTN as 38-year-old Derrick Bonham, died from his injuries at Volunteer Community Hospital in Martin.

The suspect in the shooting was captured.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been tasked with investigating the incident.


Photo: Charles Choate – 104.9 KYTN/105.7 WQAK