Chattanooga, TN – According to the statement, CPD officers responded to a carjacking incident in the 1000 block of Belmeade Avenue.
While en route, Hamilton County 9-1-1 dispatchers provided the description and license plate number of the victim’s stolen vehicle.
A CPD officer patrolling near Shallowford Road and Moss Street spotted a vehicle matching the stolen car’s description and confirmed the license plate with dispatch. The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the driver of the stolen vehicle refused to pull over, leading officers on a pursuit.
The pursuit ended on North Holtzclaw Avenue, where the roadway was blocked by a moving train. The driver attempted to bypass the train by driving on the sidewalk, but the vehicle crashed into a ditch. As the suspects exited the car, one individual emerged with a handgun. A CPD officer discharged their firearm; however, no injuries were reported. All three occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody.
Chattanooga Police Department’s Robbery Unit, Homicide Unit, and Traffic Unit responded to investigate the carjacking, aggravated assault on police, and the traffic crash. CPD’s Internal Affairs was also present at the scene, and the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office was notified of the officer’s firearm discharge.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the carjacking victim, a 59-year-old woman, had been sitting in her car on Belmeade Avenue when three males approached. One of the suspects pointed a gun at her, prompting her to exit the vehicle and hide under a nearby car. The suspects then drove off in her vehicle.
Descriptions provided by the victim matched the juveniles apprehended in the stolen car: one 17-year-old male and two 15-year-old males. The Robbery Unit filed juvenile charges for carjacking, and the suspects were transported to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center.
This investigation remains ongoing, and details may change as it progresses.