ST. FRANCIS COUNTY, Ark. — The St. Francis County Sheriff says a man who shot a Southaven police officer in Memphis and stole the officer’s vehicle has been taken into custody.
Sheriff Bobby May said Cody Dimmett was captured by SWAT team members around 7:30 p.m. while hiding behind a house on County Road 130 near Palestine. May said Demmitt went peacefully.
This began around 12:30 p.m. when a Southaven police officer was shot at Mallory and Riverport in South Memphis after following Dimmett from Southaven after a run of his license plate showed he was wanted in another state.
A source tells WREG-TV the officer’s name is Roy Hurst.
Hurst, who was on the FBI’s Safe street task force, was shot in the arm according to a law enforcement source with direct knowledge. It is a “through and through” wound, and not considered life threatening.
The officer was taken to Regional One in Memphis, and was later released, Southaven Police said.
The suspect stole Hurst’s unmarked patrol car and drove it to St. Francis County, Arkansas, where Palestine police attempted to pull him over for speeding on I-40. Authorities say Dimmett refused to stop.
“At first, just like 10 cops sped past me,” said Lauren Nelson who was driving across the country from Pennsylvania.
“And then more and more and more kept coming past me,” Nelson added.
St. Francis County Sheriff’s Office told WREG Tuesday afternoon that the suspect fired shots at a deputy at some point during the chase, but Tuesday evening, Sheriff Bobby May said the suspect hadn’t shot at any law enforcement in St. Francis County.
Dimmett wrecked the stolen police vehicle on County Road 130 and was believed to be barricaded in a house. May said Tuesday evening that Dimmett was never in a house and was hiding behind one the entire time.
The CBS affiliate in Georgia reports Dimmett is wanted there for shooting up his neighbor’s house on Sunday and injuring a man after not being invited to the house for game night.
Police in Hoover, Alabama, told WREG that Dimmett led them on a chase Monday which they had to call off.
May said Dimmett is being held at the St. Francis County Jail.