MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police have captured four teens who they say robbed and carjacked a 76-year-old man, shot at a school bus with a BB gun and led police on a high-speed chase through North Memphis.
Police said the four suspects in custody are two girls, ages 14 and 15, and two boys, both 16.
One of those juveniles was also charged with first-degree murder in connection to a homicide that happened Sunday in the Crosstown area.
Police say two of the suspects robbed and carjacked a man in his driveway Thursday afternoon as he was checking his mail, then drove the stolen car to Manassas High School Friday morning, where they shot the windows out of a school bus with a pellet.
The female bus driver was still inside.
“Stuff like this happen over here all the time. It’s every day or every week something happening over here,” said witness Dewayne Rogers.
No kids were on board the bus and the driver wasn’t hurt, but the school was put on lockdown while police launched a search.
Witnesses say officers chased the car a few blocks away to Ayers and Lee, where the suspects crashed into a fence and took off running.
“Police turned around and had a high-speed chase down Jackson after this little red car,” Rogers said. “That’s what I seen, and all of a sudden, police was coming from everywhere.”
Investigators combed three different crime scenes with the help of search dogs, and went door-to-door trying to find the suspects.
Witnesses say the dangerous crime spree didn’t come as a surprise.
“This is a bad neighborhood with dope and drugs and everything all over this place,” Rogers said. “I hate to come outside sometimes and then the next thing you know something happens, somewhere. You can’t walk the streets too much or go someplace without something happening.”
Police say the carjacking victim is going to be OK.
Investigators haven’t released the suspects’ names or possible charges, and say there may have been a fifth suspect in the car, but they haven’t been able to confirm those details.
The 14-year-old girl was charged with carjacking, three counts of aggravated assault, vandalism over $1,000, evading arrest.
The 15-year-old girl was charged with auto theft $1,000-$2,500, three counts of aggravated assault, vandalism over $1,000, and evading arrest.
One of the 16-year-old boys was charged with auto theft $1,000-$2,500, three counts of aggravated assault, vandalism over $1,000 and evading arrest.
The other 16-year-old boy was charged with two counts of auto theft $1,000-$2,500, three counts of aggravated assault, vandalism over $1,000 and evading arrest by foot and by vehicle. He was also charged with first-degree murder in connection with a Jan. 20 incident on J.W Williams Lane.
All four were taken to juvenile court.
