The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has identified the man fatally shot by Bartlett Police officers on May 22, 2025, as 30-year-old Thomas Feminella.
According to the TBI, officers were responding to a shoplifting complaint at a Lowe’s store in the Wolfchase area around 5:45 p.m. Feminella, one of the suspects involved, allegedly approached officers while armed with a knife and refused multiple commands to stop and drop the weapon. In response, officers fired at him, and he was pronounced dead at Regional One Hospital.
A witness reported hearing several gunshots and seeing Feminella waving a machete at officers, which led to heightened concern in the community. The TBI is conducting an independent investigation into the incident, as is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings in Tennessee.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of officer-involved shootings in the United States in May 2025, including other cases in Tennessee. The TBI continues to investigate this and other incidents to determine the circumstances leading to these tragic events.