Body found in Clarkston brush fire: Police arrest 3, including teen, after high-speed chase

Multiple people are in custody after a high-speed chase through DeKalb County.

According to the Clarkston Police Department, the three people in the vehicle, including a 16-year-old person, have been accused of shooting a man and setting a brush fire in an attempt to cover it up.

Body with gunshot wound found burning in Clarkston

What we know:

Multiple people are in custody after a high-speed chase through Clarkston. 

According to the Clarkston Police Department, three people, including a 16-year-old, have been accused of shooting a man and setting a brush fire in an attempt to cover it up.

Investigators say DeKalb County firefighters responded to a wooded area along Brockett Road behind the Silver Oaks apartment complex near the U.S. 78 ramp. 

Pine straw or hay appeared to catch fire, but investigators now believe it was arson after the discovery of the body of a young man. 

"DeKalb County firefighters located an 18–25-year-old Black male deceased from a gunshot wound," said Sgt. Andrew Walker of the Clarkston Police Department. 

Police say the man had been shot and left behind in the flames.

Investigators were able to identify three individuals believed to have been involved, but they took off, leading to a high-speed chase.

Using technology, such as Flock cameras, police were able to track them, eventually stopping them along Panola Road near Biffle Road, ending a 30-hour-long ordeal.

"The chase concluded when the suspects crashed and tried to flee on foot," said Clarkston Police Sgt. Andrew Walker.

All three were taken into custody at the scene.

No one was hurt in the pursuit.

Police say narcotics were found in the car.

Man recalls Clarkston brush fire where body was found

What they're saying:

A Clarkston resident, who wished not to have his name used for this article, recounted his harrowing experience of discovering a fire outside his apartment early Thursday morning. Armed with a fire extinguisher, he rushed out to assist after noticing police and firefighters at the scene around 1 a.m.

"It’s shocking and I felt like I had to jump into action because it was a fire," the neighbor said.

Initially suspecting the blaze was caused by a homeless person or a prank, the neighbor soon realized the situation was far more serious. Authorities discovered the body of a young man at the scene, leaving the community in shock and disbelief.

The murder has left residents of the Ellis and Silver Oak apartment complexes uneasy, knowing a gunman may be at large in their neighborhood.

"It’s hard to speak on because walking in the neighborhood you don’t know if you’re walking past the person and that sense of safety is definitely gone," the neighbor expressed.

Residents hope identifying the victim will lead to the apprehension of a suspect. Offering condolences, the neighbor added, "To the family of the person, whoever they are, I’m sorry for your loss and I hope you all get through it and find out who did it…and we’re praying for you."

Clarkston murder suspects not yet named

What we don't know:

Police have yet to identify the victim, and no missing person reports have been filed in Clarkston in the past 48 hours. 

The three people taken into custody, who police say will be charged with murder and concealing a body, have not yet been identified.

The cause of the fire also remains under investigation.

What you can do:

Anyone who may know who may know who the victim in this case is should call the Clarkston Police Department.

The Source: FOX 5 Atlanta has been following this story as breaking news on Thursday. FOX 5’s Marc Teichner gathered initial details at the scene of a fire where a burning body was found along Brockett Road. FOX 5’s Alexa Liacko spoke with the Clarkston Police Department about the arrest of three individuals after a high-speed chase.

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