Sad Day In West Tn.

[Lap3Forever]

RIP Sgt. Andy Bailey!

http://www.jacksonsun.com/news/20040617_shooting.shtml

Police officer killed, suspect injured in shootout
By JULIE DODSON
[email protected]

A Jackson police officer was shot and killed today during a shootout with a suspected thief.

The incident started outside in the Old Hickory Mall parking lot and led to a high-speed police chase that ended near downtown Jackson.

Sgt. Andy Bailey, a 31-year veteran of the Jackson Police Department, was pronounced dead shortly after noon today, said JPD Chief Rick Staples during a hospital press conference. The identity and condition of the suspect has not been released, though Staples said he was shot multiple times.

Police investigate the scene of a shooting on West Orleans Street today. The incident started at Old Hickory Mall, and the suspect led police on a chase through Jackson that ended near West Side Cleaners at North Highland Avenue and West Orleans Street. (HELEN COMER/The Jackson Sun)Check for updates throughout the day at jacksonsun.com



Both were taken to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

Staples said Bailey was ''ready to retire'' and leaves behind a son and a wife or ex-wife. Staples, his voice cracking with emotion, described Bailey as ''a hard worker, well liked, dedicated policeman, dedicated to the end.''

Bailey was the third JPD officer killed in the line of duty, the other deaths happening in the late 1800s and early1900s.

JPD will hold another press conference this afternoon to release further details.

According to preliminary reports and eyewitness accounts, the incident started when the assailant attempted to snatch a purse at the mall sometime after 9 a.m. this morning. The assailant fired a shot in the air as he fled the mall area, according to an eyewitness.

Mall officials were not available for comment, but are planning a 2:30 p.m. press conference.

A high-speed police chase began after the suspect fled the mall in a brown Chevrolet Celebrity with speeds reaching up to 80 mph ending at West Side Cleaners, located at 293 N. Highland Ave. The suspect rammed his car into police cruisers throughout the pursuit, which stretched east and west in the downtown area along Orleans Street.

Betty Davis had just finished helping a customer at the front counter of West Side Cleaners when she heard commotion outside.

''I heard the sirens, and I heard the shots,'' Davis said. ''I saw the police get shot and go down - the suspect was still running, and the police were still shooting at him.''

Davis' green 1995 Ford Contour, which was parked in the lot behind the cleaners, was one of two cars hit by the suspect's brown car. The cars were pushed into the house next to the cleaners on West Orleans Street.

By 9:45 a.m., a small crowd had gathered outside the cleaners and across North Highland Avenue to watch police survey the scene.

Chris Maxwell, who owns West Side Cleaners, was standing at his red truck in front of the store when he heard sirens and tires squealing.

''It all happened so quick,'' Maxwell said. ''It's like - boom - in three seconds it's over.''

Maxwell saw the suspect shoot the police officer at close range, he said. He was standing about six feet away.

''Then he (the suspect) took off running,'' Maxwell said. ''It looked like something you would see on TV.''

Check for updates throughout the day at jacksonsun.com.

 

[TNBurtonFan]

I've been to that mall many times. It's really not that big of a mall, you wouldn't think something like that would happen so close. But I read somewhere that for it's size, Jackson is a very dangerous town.

 

[Lap3Forever]

I think i heard on rock 92.3 that something else happaned at that mall not to long ago......

 

[Lap3Forever]

Officer shot, killed
By JAMIE PAGE
[email protected]
06/18 2004

A 30-year Jackson Police Department veteran was shot and killed Thursday morning following a high-speed police chase and a shootout with a suspected purse-snatcher who now faces first-degree murder charges.

HELEN COMER/The Jackson Sun - During a press conference, Jackson Police Chief Rick Staples announces that Sgt. Andy Bailey had died Thursday.|

Jackson Police Sgt. Andy Bailey was expected to retire within a year. He was 52, with a family, and is described by co-workers as friendly, hard-working and a dedicated cop. He was the first JPD officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1931.

Bailey was pronounced dead shortly after noon, an emotional JPD Chief Rick Staples announced at a somber press conference at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. Those who knew Bailey called in to local radio stations to say a kind word on his behalf. Local officers wore black bands across their badges through the evening - a tradition among law enforcement when a fellow officer falls in the line of duty.

Bailey was one of many JPD officers who responded to a call that turned into a 15-minute high-speed chase through parts of North, West and East Jackson. The chase ended near West Side Cleaners when the suspected thief crashed into a parked vehicle, shot at and hit Bailey multiple times as he fled, then fell to the ground as other JPD officers shot him, police said.

The suspect, Michael Jonathan Hart, 20, had not been charged Thursday night but is expected to be charged today with first-degree murder and multiple other crimes as the investigation continues, Staples said. Hart was taken to Jackson General, then transferred to The Regional Medical Center in Memphis. Hart, who suffered non-life-threatening wounds, was still hospitalized at press time. He was listed in fair condition.

According to preliminary reports and eyewitness accounts, the incident started in the Old Hickory Mall parking lot, where the assailant snatched a purse that morning. As he fled the mall area, the assailant fired a handgun into the air, according to an eyewitness. Police got the call about 9:25 a.m. The suspect made it to his car and fled. Officers arrived on the scene, saw the suspect leaving and began a pursuit that reached speeds up to 80 mph.

The suspect rammed his Chevrolet Celebrity into police cruisers throughout the pursuit. The chase ended in front of West Side Cleaners, at 293 N. Highland Ave., at the intersection with East Orleans Street. There the suspect crashed his car into a police cruiser and then into nearby cars in front of a residence off Orleans.

Police say Hart then got out of his car and began shooting at officers. Bailey, who wasn't wearing a bullet-proof vest, was hit twice, Staples said. The vests are optional for JPD officers, Staples said. Hart was then shot multiple times by other officers, Staples said. No other officers were injured during the pursuit. The Madison County Sheriff's Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol assisted in the pursuit.

The department's policy is to chase someone only if that person presents a threat to public safety. Initially police were operating on information that Hart had shot someone, Staples said. The pursuit ''was extremely dangerous, but it was one that had to be done,'' he said.

Betty Davis had just finished helping a customer at the front counter of West Side Cleaners when she heard commotion outside.

''I heard the sirens, and I heard the shots,'' Davis said. ''I saw the police get shot and go down - the suspect was still running, and the police were still shooting at him.''

Davis' green 1995 Ford Contour, which was parked in the lot behind the cleaners, was one of two cars hit by the suspect's brown car. The cars were pushed into the house next to the cleaners on West Orleans Street.

By 9:45 a.m., a small crowd had gathered outside the cleaners and across North Highland to watch police survey the scene.

Chris Maxwell, who owns West Side Cleaners, was standing near his red truck in front of the store when he heard sirens and tires squealing.

''It all happened so quick,'' Maxwell said. ''It's like - boom - in three seconds it's over.'' Maxwell saw the suspect shoot the officer at close range, he said. He was standing about six feet away. ''Then he (the suspect) took off running,'' Maxwell said. ''It looked like something you would see on TV.''

Staples said Thursday night that he couldn't comment yet on whether Hart had any prior arrests. He also couldn't comment on the mall victim or the details of the incident.

Staples, his voice cracking with emotion during the press conference, said Bailey ''was a hard worker, he was well-liked, he was a dedicated policeman and brave to the end.'' Bailey was the third JPD officer killed in the line of duty. The other deaths happened in 1876 and 1931, Staples said.

''I knew him (Bailey), even before I was elected,'' said Jackson Mayor Charles Farmer. ''He was a very kind and gentle-natured person who certainly sought no conflict, but was willing and able to encounter it when he had to. Chief Staples told stories of when he worked with him and how he would tackle jobs that he might not physically be capable of tackling. And my opinion is that he enjoyed working with children and young people more than any other part of the job.''

- Jamie Page, (731) 425-9643

What to know


A memorial fund for Jackson Police Department Sgt. Andy Bailey has been set up at AmSouth Bank, the Old Hickory Mall branch located on Highland Avenue at Old Hickory Mall. For more information, call Branch Manager Benji Woods at (731) 661-6951.

A trust fund for Sgt. Bailey has been set up at the Bank of Jackson, located at 558 Carriage House Drive as well as a branch at 132 W. University Parkway. For more information, call (731) 660-8000.

Funeral arrangements for Sgt. Bailey are incomplete through Bledsoe Funeral Home. Bailey is survived by two sons and a daughter. For more information, call 427-1521.

 

[Gollum]

Malls are begenning to be hangouts for gangs and drug dealers. There was a killing at the KY Oaks mall in Paducah Thursday. Don't know what that was all about.

 

[Lap3Forever]

Originally posted by Gollum@Jun 19 2004, 09:04 AM
Malls are begenning to be hangouts for gangs and drug dealers. There was a killing at the KY Oaks mall in Paducah Thursday. Don't know what that was all about.

Heard about the stabbing but did not know they died.....

 

[Guido]

Originally posted by Lap3Forever@Jun 18 2004, 01:35 PM
The suspect rammed his Chevrolet Celebrity into police cruisers throughout the pursuit. The chase ended in front of West Side Cleaners, at 293 N. Highland Ave., at the intersection with East Orleans Street. There the suspect crashed his car into a police cruiser and then into nearby cars in front of a residence off Orleans.

Police say Hart then got out of his car and began shooting at officers. Bailey, who wasn't wearing a bullet-proof vest, was hit twice, Staples said. The vests are optional for JPD officers, Staples said. Hart was then shot multiple times by other officers, Staples said. No other officers were injured during the pursuit.

Why is it that the cops have to wait until someone fires a weapon before they are allowed to fire upon that person.

It seems to me that ramming one or more police crusiers is an attempt to not only disable the cruiser but to also injure or kill the officer.

I may be wrong but I just don't remember as many police chases years ago when police had more liberal use of their weapons. I don't mean for them to shoot first and ask questions later. But there should be less tolerance for the scum on the street. Respect for law enforcement officers has got to be at an all time low.

The only other thing I can't figure out is how they managed to shoot this suspect multiple times and not kill him. What caliber are they using? Now the taxpayers will have to pay for his defense and pay for his upkeep during the little time that he will probably serve.

Got help us!

 

[TNBurtonFan]

Originally posted by Gollum@Jun 19 2004, 08:04 AM
Malls are begenning to be hangouts for gangs and drug dealers. There was a killing at the KY Oaks mall in Paducah Thursday. Don't know what that was all about.

This was a group of teenagers, they before arguing inside the mall. They carried it outside where one pulled a knife and stabbed the other. I think they were around 19 years old.