TBI: Dyer Co. police chase ends with suspect shot
DYER COUNTY, Tenn. — A high-speed pursuit that stretched more than 10 miles ends in a fiery crash and a suspect shot by police. Investigators said it all started when they were following up on a call about a suspicious car. Officers from all over Dyer County said they were involved in the nearly 30-minute chase along two busy highways, ending with a car on fire, a cruiser destroyed and a suspect shot. It is something eyewitnesses said was like a scene out of a movie. “It’s something you see on the national news, not on the local news,” witness Rick Harris said. Newbern police pursued the car Thursday morning after officers said they confronted people inside a suspicious vehicle in a McDonald’s parking lot who then fled. “If the police tell you to stop, you better stop,” Harris said. “Don’t run from them.” After more than 30 minutes and three more departments joining in, investigators said the suspect crashed his car along Highway 412 in Dyersburg. And that is when officers said the driver fled into a field and was shot by a Dyersburg police officer. Investigators would not elaborate on the circumstances of the shooting. “He should have pulled over in the first place,” Harris said. “That way he probably wouldn’t have been shot.” Officers said the suspect was later med-flighted to a Memphis hospital, and two passengers in the car were taken into custody. Residents said they have more questions about why officers had to open fire. “Not knowing if that person fired at the officers or exactly how it went down, it was really just a lot,” resident Shirley Lurks said. Newbern police cars do have dash cameras, but investigators have not said if the incident was recorded. Residents said with such an intense chase happening in their city, it is still shocking. “It’s crazy, because it’s a small town up here,” Harris said. “It’s pretty quiet, not much goes on up here actually. It’s smooth sailing in Newbern.” Currently, Newbern police have not released the names of the three suspects or what charges they may face. The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative duty. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said it also will be looking into the shooting.
