A wild police chase unfolded in southeast Atlanta involving a man with an extensive criminal record and three young children caught in the harrowing ordeal. The chase began at a gas station near Interstate 285, where gunshots were reportedly fired by William Burris, leading to a high-speed pursuit, as Atlanta police confirmed in a video released to the public.
The chase initiated shortly after 12:15 p.m. on December 20, when Burris, a 39-year-old with a reported 37 prior arrests, decided to rapidly speed away from the scene after engaging in gunfire. Officers were to quickly locate and attempt to stop the gray Jeep Cherokee he was driving, only for Burris to dismiss their efforts and accelerate away, endangering the lives within the vehicle and those of the chasing officers.
According to footage obtained by FOX5 Atlanta, the chase escalated as Burris engaged in dangerous maneuvers through city streets, eventually leading to a crash where the suspect's vehicle struck a utility pole on Lakewood Avenue. The impact caused significant damage and resulted in Burris unintentionally executing a PIT maneuver on himself after swerving in front of a patrol car.
Immediately following the crash, officers discovered three children inside the SUV, who were promptly taken to a secure location for medical evaluation after expressing complaints of pain. In a statement obtained by WSB-TV, witness accounts detailed that no individuals were injured during the initial gunfire, but the event did result in property damage.
Subsequent to his extraction from the wrecked SUV, Burris faced immediate arrest and a plethora of charges including fleeing and eluding, multiple counts of kidnapping, cruelty to children, possession of drugs and firearms by a convicted felon, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was initially taken to the Grady Detention Center for injuries sustained during the chase but was later transferred to the Fulton County Jail.
