Mesa police tracked a stolen car straight onto the playground at Webster Elementary School on Wednesday afternoon, arresting a 21-year-old suspect on campus as students were heading home. The tense takedown, which unfolded during dismissal, was captured on both drone and body-camera video that the department released this week.
Officers first spotted a reported stolen vehicle near Dobson and Broadway and tried to pull it over on West Main just before 1 p.m., according to AZFamily. Police say the driver hit the gas, cutting through a nearby apartment complex and racing across neighborhood streets while officers tracked the car on traffic cameras and with a drone overhead. Video released by the department shows the driver ditching the vehicle in a neighborhood and sprinting through backyards in the direction of the school.
As reported by 12News, police say the suspect, identified as 21-year-old William Brock, jumped a wall and ran onto the Webster Elementary campus while students were being released. Body-cam footage shows officers shouting commands and closing in on the playground before taking him into custody. Officials said school staff were instructed to secure students, and the campus was placed on lockdown as a precaution during the arrest.
How Mesa's RTCC and drones helped
Mesa officers credited their Real Time Crime Center, along with an airborne drone, for keeping continuous eyes on the fleeing vehicle and the suspect on foot, which allowed dispatchers to direct patrol units straight to his location. The RTCC pulls together live feeds from traffic cameras, patrol units and aerial tools so operators can follow a suspect across multiple neighborhoods in real time.
The city outlines the Real Time Crime Center’s functions and technology on its dedicated page, according to the Mesa Police Department. A separate case study details how the system is built and integrated, as profiled by Genetec.
School response
Staff at Webster Elementary swiftly pulled children inside and moved them away from the playground as officers converged on the campus, according to KOLD. In body-cam audio from the scene, officers can be heard telling staff, "Lock it down. Lock it down," before footage captures them ordering the suspect to "Get on the ground now" as they make the arrest.
Charges and booking
Mesa police identified the suspect as William Brock, 21, and say he was booked into jail on multiple charges, including theft, unlawful flight, resisting arrest, criminal trespass, criminal damage and disorderly conduct. 12News reports that the department is continuing its investigation and that drone and body-worn camera footage were instrumental in locating and arresting the suspect.
The public release of the drone and body-cam videos underscores how Mesa police are using real-time camera networks and aerial assets to track suspects quickly while aiming to limit risk around schools and residential neighborhoods. For a deeper look at the Real Time Crime Center, the city provides an overview through the Mesa Police Department, and the department’s technology setup is also profiled by Genetec.
