Rookie Memphis police officer shoots armed robbery suspect - WMC Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

A suspected robber is in the hospital after being shot by a Memphis police officer Saturday. 

Memphis Police Department said Feroldo Griffin, 27, robbed an Exxon on South Third Street in Westwood just after 8 a.m.

Griffin fled the scene in a black Chrysler 300 and was later spotted by an officer at Millbranch and East Shelby Drive. 

He was shot during a struggle with police and is in "stable" condition.

"When the officer made the traffic stop, the suspect got out of the car and at some point they got involved in a fight. So the officer was fighting with the suspect," MPD Lt. Karen Rudolph said.

MPD said after the fight, the suspect reached inside the car to grab a gun, and the officer shot him. At least one gun was found in the suspect's car, according to MPD.

"Our officers want to go home everyday, so our officers are trained to protect themselves and others and that's what they're going to do," Rudolph said.

Now, the spotlight is on the rookie officer who fired the shot.

"He's actually a probationary officer, so he has not completed his full year of training. He's riding alone, so he responded using the training that he received," Rudolph said.

Shunqualis Brown said he does not feel safe in the neighborhood where this incident happened.

"The crime here is really bad in this area. This is Millbranch where they now call it 'Killbranch,'" Brown said. "There's gangs. A whole bunch of gangs."

Brown has a young son, and he plans to move his family somewhere else as soon as he can afford it.

"Because I have a one year old, and I want to make life better for him so I'm trying to get out of the situation, but this is like everyday," Brown said.

Griffin is charged with aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of employment of a weapon during the commission of a dangerous felony.

MPD said the name of the officer will be released once he is debriefed.

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