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Police: Suspect tried to hit officers, leads police on chase

Published  March 6, 2019 5:41pm EST
News
FOX 5 Atlanta

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NORCROSS, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - New police body camera footage shows a fleeing suspect nearly hitting two Norcross officers before leading police on a chase through three jurisdictions early Wednesday morning.

In the footage of the tense scene, a Norcross Police Officer fires a single shot, missing suspect Freeman Abdulsabar Person after he nearly struck two officers, while fleeing the parking lot of the Hometown Studios Motel.

"In his effort to try to get away from police the police department he became completely unsafe for everybody on the roadway," Norcross Sgt. D.E. Butynski said.

A K-9 officer pursued Person's vehicle as he fled the motel on Jimmy Carter Boulevard at around midnight. Norcross Police Officers first came upon the 22-year-old who they thought was sleeping in the back seat of his running vehicle. The situation quickly escalates when  Person jumps into the front seat of the car and tries to drive off. 

"He put the car in reverse. He was backing up aggresively and almost struck one officer who was behind the vehicle and at the same time pinned another officer between the vehicle he was in and a minivan that was stuck right next to it," Butynski

Person fled the parking lot and Norcross police gave chase. Duluth and Gwinnett County police joined in the pursuit after the suspect entered their jurisdictions. He led police on a  chase for 13 minutes, driving recklessly with his all over the road at times.

With no indication Person was giving up, Gwinnett police decided to stop him using a PIT maneuver, bringing the chase to an end on Old Peachtree Road in Lawrenceville.

"When they tried to get him into custody he was still refusing verbal commands 'Show us your hands. Stop resisting,'" Butynski said. "A taser was used on the individual at which point in time they were able to get him into custody."

Person is now behind bars at the Gwinnett County Jail. He's facing charges that include aggravated assault on a police officer and possession of methamphetamine.