In Memphis, Tennessee, three teenagers are in big trouble after being arrested for a string of robberies that went on for about a month. The suspects, two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old, were caught by police after a wild car chase on Sunday afternoon.
Here’s what happened: Officers spotted a stolen white Ford Mustang on Summer Avenue and tried to pull it over. Instead of stopping, the driver took off, leading police on a high-speed chase that ended when the car crashed into a guardrail at North White Station and Macon Road. The three teens ran away but didn’t get far. Police found them hiding in a backyard on McCrory Avenue.
When the teens were caught, one of them had a backpack containing a stolen black Taurus G3 9mm handgun. It wasn’t the first time these boys had caused chaos that day. Less than an hour earlier, they had led police on another chase. In that instance, they abandoned a stolen 2006 Toyota Avalon near Elzey Avenue and Cooper Street and managed to escape—at least for a little while.
The stolen Mustang they were driving had been carjacked earlier that same day at the Guatemala Supermarket on Getwell Road. According to police, two boys got out of a white Toyota Avalon, pointed a gun at a man, and forced him out of his car. Just 30 minutes before that, they had allegedly threatened another man sitting in his car on Southlawn Avenue. The man, who didn’t speak English, was left confused and terrified as the boys waved a gun and made demands he couldn’t understand.
It turns out, the Toyota Avalon they had been driving was also stolen. The day before, on January 18, two boys reportedly approached a car parked at the Valero Gas Station on Lamar Avenue. Armed with guns, they scared off the Spanish-speaking occupants and took off in the vehicle.
This wasn’t the first time these teens had been linked to a crime spree. About a month earlier, on December 18, they were accused of stealing a Toyota 4Runner from Ming’s Chinese Cuisine on Semmes Street around 9 p.m. That same night, they allegedly fired three gunshots at a man at the Super Coin Laundry on Getwell Road before stealing $100 from him. As they fled, they reportedly fired more shots at a woman who refused to give them money.
The next day, police say the teens were back at it. Outside the Q Mart on Getwell Road, they pulled guns on a group of people, demanding money. They even hit one man in the stomach before stealing $220 and driving off in the stolen Toyota 4Runner.
Now, the teens are facing a long list of charges. One of the 15-year-olds is charged with multiple counts of aggravated robbery, carjacking, attempted first-degree murder, and more. The other 15-year-old is charged with carjacking, attempted robbery, and other crimes. The 16-year-old has the most charges, including reckless driving, no driver’s license, and theft of a firearm.
These incidents have left many people shaken, but thanks to the Memphis Police Department’s persistence, the teens are now off the streets.
