Sheriff weighs in on chase of armed 14-year-old driver in Fayette County
FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. - FOX 5 received new information and new video of an encounter with an armed 14-year-old carjacking suspect in Fayette County on March 11. The Fayette County sheriff weighed in on the chase, the gun and the suspect’s age.
It began when Fayette County deputies spotted a stolen Honda from an armed carjacking in DeKalb County. The suspect sped away with deputies in pursuit. They would later learn the driver was a child, an armed and dangerous 14-year-old.
"We see it more than we want to see. In my 37-year career, it's become common. And you think of a 14-year-old boy. What was your son doing at 14? Playing ball, probably," Sheriff Babb said.
The video showed the 14-year-old speeding through a neighborhood as schools were letting out. He lost control and crashed into mailboxes and then drove through several front yards.
(Credit: Fayette County Sheriff's Office)
Coming out of the neighborhood, he lost control again and smashed into two cars.
The video showed a deputy with his gun drawn, ordering the teen to throw down his weapon and get on the ground, which he did.
The teen was taken into custody. What was worrisome to Sheriff Babb was his belief that the 14-year-old intentionally came out of the stolen car with a gun in hand. And then had to make a choice about whether to use it, or drop it.
"From the dynamics of the crash, he would have had to find that weapon and bail with that weapon," Babb said.
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As the video showed, the teen fortunately dropped the gun when confronted with armed officers who were surrounding him at that point.
Babb said his department is working with the ATF to learn who the firearm belongs to.
"An AR-14 pistol, which is a semi-automatic. This one had a high capacity magazine, and it was loaded," he said.
After the chase, we are told a deputy asked the young man how old he was. The teen replied 14. The next question was, "Where are you supposed to be right now?" We’re told he answered he was supposed to be at DeKalb Middle School.