Memphis Teenager Charged in Violent Carjacking and Police Chase, Officer and Local Woman Injured

A 17-year-old boy is now behind bars, charged with multiple offenses, after a series of events unfolded in Memphis resulting in injuries both to a local woman and a Memphis Police Department officer. According to WREG, the teenager's alleged crime spree began with an armed carjacking last Saturday and promptly escalated into a police chase the following day.

The young suspect, currently unidentified due to his minor status, is said to have been part of a group that carjacked a woman's 2012 Nissan Maxima at gunpoint after she went to pick up her boyfriend's brother and three other males from the 1600 block of Raines Road. "She claims a boy she knows asked her for a ride. When she arrived to pick him up, the boy along with three other males wearing black ski masks and dark-colored clothing got in the car armed with guns," as reported by WREG. The victim was said to have been taken to Methodist South Hospital in non-critical condition after the assailants reportedly assaulted her and fled with her vehicle.

The subsequent pursuit occurred after Memphis police found the stolen vehicle at a gas station on Winchester Road. "The driver, who police say was the 17-year-old, sped off the lot after officers activated their lights and sirens, initiating a police chase," according to Action News 5. The pursuit ended in a collision at Winchester Grove Apartments, which resulted in an officer getting injured when the stolen car abruptly stopped and the officer's patrol vehicle crashed into it.

In the aftermath of the crash, the teenage driver and his accomplices attempted to hastily flee on foot. Police managed to capture the teen who was reportedly armed with a handgun at the time of his arrest. "The 17-year-old is charged with Carjacking, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony, Acting in Concert: Aggravated Assault, Intentionally Evading Arrest in an Automobile, Disregarding a Traffic Signal, Driving on the Right Side of the Roadway, Reckless Driving, Assault on a First Responder, Evading Arrest on Foot, No Driver’s License, and Handgun Possession Prohibited," as detailed by Local Memphis. The conditions of the injured officer and the victim of the carjacking were not detailed further at the time of the reports.

Authorities are continuing to search for the remaining suspects involved in the carjacking and subsequent events. The Memphis Police Department has not released additional information about the other individuals at large.