North Memphis family alleges police and DEA raided wrong Breedlove Street home during fugitive warrant search

What the family says happened

A North Memphis family says armed law enforcement officers entered their home on Breedlove Street on Wednesday morning, removed family members from the house, and searched for a fugitive who they say has never lived at the address.

Cser Dorse, who said he works overnight shifts and homeschools four children, described being awakened by loud banging and commands to open the door. The family said officers then moved Dorse to the curb and brought the children outside. Video from a doorbell camera provided by the family shows multiple armed officers approaching the home.

What police say the operation was targeting

The Memphis Police Department said its Fugitive Unit, alongside federal agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, went to the location while attempting to locate a man identified as Samuel Shine. Police said Shine had several active arrest warrants tied to an alleged cocaine offense described as possession with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell.

Police also said the address had been linked to Shine. Dorse disputed that claim, saying he has lived at the residence for 12 years and that no one by that name has lived there.

Key factual points that remain unresolved

As of Thursday, March 12, 2026, several important details were not publicly documented in the materials reviewed by memphis.news, including the specific basis for linking Shine to the Breedlove Street address and whether officers were executing an arrest warrant, a search warrant, or relying on another legal authority to enter the residence.

Requests have been made for documentation tied to the warrants and the operation’s authorization. The answers to those questions are central to determining whether the address was selected based on outdated records, faulty intelligence, or a clerical or identification error.

Rights, procedure, and potential next steps

Dorse and Porsha Holloway said they believe their rights were violated and urged changes in how such operations are carried out in residential neighborhoods, particularly when children are present. A Memphis attorney interviewed in connection with the incident said the family may have civil legal options, including claims commonly associated with alleged civil rights violations.

Separately, the Memphis Police Department’s publicly available guidance describing constitutional standards emphasizes that entry into a home generally requires a warrant, valid consent, or a recognized legal exception, and that probable cause is required for arrests and for certain warrant applications. How those standards were applied in this instance will likely depend on the underlying paperwork, officer reports, and any audio or video evidence.

What to watch going forward

• Whether warrant and court records clarify the target’s last known address and what information connected the suspect to the home.
• Whether any internal review is opened to evaluate address verification and pre-raid planning.
• Whether the family files an administrative complaint or civil lawsuit seeking damages or policy changes.

The family said the episode left them feeling unsafe in their own home, and they are seeking clarity on why officers arrived at their address and what safeguards exist to prevent similar incidents.