Family of fallen police officer says every day ‘is a roller coaster’ nearly two years after his death

By Caroline Hecker

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    ST. LOUIS (KMOV) — The family of fallen police officer Tamarris Bohannon continues to experience a wide range of emotions after he was shot to death on duty in August 2020.

“Every day you can feel an entire spectrum of emotions,” Liz Bohannon, Tamarris’ mother, said. “The smallest thing you don’t think will affect you, does.”

Tamarris Bohannon, 29, left behind a wife and three children. Now, annual milestones are bittersweet.

“I didn’t just lose a son, I lost a friend,” Al Bohannon, Tamarris’ father, said. “So I try to enjoy the things I get to do with our grandkids and remember doing those same things with their dad.”

The family said holidays, birthdays and other special gatherings are a sad reminder of Bohannon’s passing.

“You never expect your child to leave before you and it takes a piece of you,” Liz Bohannon said.

In his memory, the family has been working with members of the state legislature to rename I-44 at Hampton Avenue after Officer Bohannon. A sign, in both the eastbound and westbound lanes, will be unveiled later this year.

“It’s special in that he’ll be remembered for what happened, his bravery, his heroism in doing what he loved,” Liz said. “It’s very important to me that his name is remembered.”

Alexis Bohannon, Bohannon’s widow, sent News 4 this statement in regard to the interstate sign to be named after her late husband.

“I would like to personally thank the Missouri FOP and Senator Steve Roberts for spearheading this legislation. The family is very thankful and appreciative of everyone helping to further this legislation in honor of our fallen hero Officer Tamarris Bohannon EOW: 8/30/2020.”

Prior to his death on August 30, 2020, the Bohannons said Tamarris was one of the city officers on the front lines in downtown St. Louis during rioting and looting in June of that year. His father said Tamarris was one of several officers reportedly pinned down by gunfire for several hours. Four officers were shot during the uprising and were treated and released from the hospital.

“That’s a hard one, to be fired upon and can’t shoot back,” Al Bohannon said.

During the riots, Bohannon said his son was surrounded by some younger officers who he helped guide and instill confidence in.

“He calmed them down,” he said. “He told them, ‘it doesn’t matter if you’re afraid. If you want to quit, quit tomorrow, not today. Today we’re all going home.’”

The criminal case against the man accused of killing Officer Bohannon has been delayed by the pandemic.

“It slowed things down because there have been other cases that have already been tried and done with,” Liz Bohannon said. “There have been other officers killed after my son and they’re done.”

The family hopes the trial will bring them some closure. While they’re anxious for their day in court, they trust the process to play out.

“You want to see justice done,” she said. “But at the same time, we don’t want anything to be missed because it was rushed.”

While the family continues to take it one day at a time, they hope people remember what happened to them can happen to anybody.

“He goes to work one day and a random call he goes on that he’s probably been on 20 times, it just so happens that this one was the one,” Liz Bohannon said. “You don’t think it will ever happen to you, until it does.”

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