MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — 44-year-old Steven James Murphy attempted to rob an armored truck operator at an ATM and a Jason's Deli on North Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro Wednesday morning.
Murphy was shot at the Jason's Deli by a Murfreesboro Police Department officer according to a spokesperson. He later died at the hospital from his injuries.
BREAKING: suspect has died this is now a fatal officer-involved shooting @nc5 pic.twitter.com/VdFpp99H7E
— Alexandra Koehn (@NC5_AKoehn) November 22, 2023
The Jason's Deli will be closed until further notice due to the ongoing investigation. The six employees inside the deli were safe and unharmed.
Jeff Trotter couldn't get to his doctor's office in Murfreesboro due to crime tape.
"Bunch of police, evidently somebody wanted to make some fast money," Trotter said.
Murphy tried to rob an armored truck operator at the Regions Bank ATM in The Oaks Shopping Mall complex first.
"Not a smart move," Trotter said. "There’s crazy people everywhere."
The truck operator apparently pulled a gun, and Murphy took off.
Charles Fields at the Marines recruiting office across the street saw the commotion.
“Went back to my office to try to get my phone, next thing I saw, cop cars coming from every direction," Fields said.
NewsChannel 5 has learned that Murphy grabbed a knife and charged one of the officers in the restaurant.
"After many repeated commands, our officer had to discharge his service weapon,” Murfreesboro Police spokesperson, Larry Flowers, said.
"They blocked the whole shopping center, I didn’t hear a gunshot or anything," Fields said, "Then I just saw them pulling the individual out on the gurney.”
To get a closer look at the scene of the crime, you can watch the video above.
Flowers said the suspect tried to rob the Jason's Deli too.
"I’m sure they are shaken up, nobody was injured and that’s a good thing," Flowers said.
Now Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents are taking over the investigation.
"Our officers come to work, they do it with integrity they do it with courage, they do it with honor, and again our heart goes out to the family of this man who is deceased," Flowers said. "Our heart also goes out to our officer who will have to deal with this."
Eventually, several businesses were able to reopen.
"It ain’t every day you have all of this go on," Trotter said.
