Death by Cop 2021-2025
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Courtney Ross
Age : 19
Gender : Male
Race : Black
Date : 08/11/2023
Location : Madison Avenue and South Auburndale Street
City : Memphis
County : Shelby
State : Tennessee
Agency : Memphis Police Department
Officer(s) :Unknown
Cause of Death : Medical emergency
Event : Died after arrest from unknown causes
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 08/11/2023, shortly before noon, Memphis Police Department officers responded to an apartment complex at Madison Avenue and South Auburndale Street after receiving reports of a man behaving erratically. A total of 15-16 officers chased 19-year-old Courtney Ross and took him into custody under unknown circumstances. During the encounter, Ross became unresponsive while being detained. Officers requested emergency medical assistance, and Ross was transported to Regional One Health, where he was pronounced dead.
At the request of the Shelby County District Attorney General, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation assumed responsibility for the investigation. On 08/12/2023, the TBI identified the deceased as Courtney Ross.
Ross's family retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who called for the release of body-camera and dash-camera footage and questioned the circumstances surrounding Ross's death. Family members and community supporters later held public demonstrations seeking transparency and accountability from the Memphis Police Department.
As of the latest publicly available reporting through August 2026, Memphis Police had not publicly identified the officers involved in Ross's detention. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation remained the lead investigative agency.
