Officers, community, and technology leads to 4 arrests after child shot in Chattanooga

June 9, 2017

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Chattanooga Police could be seen on Windsor Street Thursday night.

Authorities said that’s where shots were fired into a moving vehicle.

Inside the vehicle were two people and an 8-year-old boy.

The child was shot and taken to the hospital, and at last check, was in critical condition.

“My heart goes out to the family. To them I say, I am truly sorry that you had to experience this horrific crime,” Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher said in a press conference Friday.

Police recovered a gun and shell casings.

A total of four validated gang members were arrested.

One of them is facing charges for the shooting.

Convicted felon, 28-year-old Lebron Brown was charged with attempted first degree murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, unlawful possession of a weapon.

“As your police chief and neighbor, I cannot begin to express how angry I am that there are people in our community with such little disregard for life,” Chief Fletcher said.

In addition to witness cooperation, police said technology also helped them get the information they needed to arrest the four guys.

“This video is from Bayberry Apartments, and we have a great community relationship with them that we can log into their camera systems and view video,” Chattanooga Police Communications Coordinator Elisa Myzal said.

An officer did that, and was able to get suspect vehicle information.

Police then tracked down, and arrested the four men, Chief Fletcher said, within hours of the incident.

“Being able to respond immediately before they destroy evidence, like throwing away a gun is absolutely vital. That’s why we are aggressively pursuing technology. That’s why you see the facility that we’re in right now,” Chief Fletcher said.

The other three men, Darius Woods, Khavell Williams, and Dedrick Lindsey, were arrested on unrelated charges.

Contact Chattanooga Police if you have any information on the case.