Weakley County, Tenn.–The warrant issued for the arrest of Khristi Dawn Cunningham of Ohio reveals details of the shooting of Weakley County Sheriff’s Deputy Derrick Bonham that indicate her actions were premeditated. The warrant released by the Sheriff’s Office indicates that Cunningham planned the attack, making the 911 calls that drew law enforcement to her location before she shot Deputy Bonham four times and shot at Martin Police.
According to the warrant, Cunningham shot Deputy Bonham once and when he fell to the ground, she shot him three more times when he was incapacitated. Cunningham was arrested at the scene and is being held without bond and charged with first-degree murder.
According to News 5 in Cleveland, Ohio, Cunningham is from Stark County and worked as a manager at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility and a corrections officer for the State of Ohio. She is 44 years old.
The warrant relates the series of events in the early morning hours of January 30.
At 2:52 a.m., Cunningham made her first call to the Weakley County 911, to report ‘shots fired’ at the Days Inn in Martin. While doing so, she is alleged to have fired a shot from a pistol at or near the parking lot.
According to the warrant, she then drove to the parking lot of Pocket’s convenience store and positioned herself in place where she could watch law enforcement arrive. Meanwhile, she kept calling 911 and hanging up. The warrant states law enforcement was able to utilize GPS to determine the location of her cell phone.
Deputy Bonham arrived at Pocket’s and parked beside Cunningham’s car. According to the warrant, she was in a call to 911 at the time. According to Deputy Bonham’s body worn camera, Cunningham exited her vehicle, produced a pistol and immediately shot the deputy. “She shot Deputy Bonham three more times” while he was incapacitated and on the ground.
She then shot two more times in the direction of the Martin Police officers who were in the Days Inn parking lot.
According to the warrant, Deputy Bonham “died as a result of Cunningham premeditately and intentionally shooting him.”