PRESS RELEASE

On Thursday, January 5, 2023, at approximately 12:30 a.m., the Tunica County Sheriff's Office responded to Hollywood Casino in reference to a complaint that several vehicles that had been burglarized. While on scene, at approximately 12:45 a.m.,  TCSO  received a call from Sam's Town Casino security regarding a suspicious vehicle on their property that was suspected of being involved with auto burglaries that had happened in the area.

The vehicle was described as a 2018 Hyundai Elantra, white in color, bearing a Tennessee license plate - BHL 7123. Upon arrival to Sam's Town, deputies observed a vehicle matching that description, parked next to another vehicle, occupied by multiple subjects that appeared to be wearing masks. Deputies attempted to approach the vehicle with their blue lights activated, when the vehicle proceeded to flee the scene.

The vehicle traveled onto Casino Strip Blvd. to US Highway 61. The vehicle continued to travel at speeds excess of 100 mph as it exited onto Interstate 69 traveling towards DeSoto County. Tunica County Sheriff's Office contacted DeSoto County Sheriff's Department and notified them of the pursuit that was headed towards to their county. DCSD deployed stop sticks at I-69/Fogg Road and at I-69/Tulane Road.

The vehicle made contact with the stop sticks at I-69/Fogg Road and continued to flee from deputies. It continued traveling east towards I-69 and Tulane Road. Avoiding the second set of stop sticks, the vehicle exited I-69 onto Tulane Road and traveled south on Tulane Road before crashing into a ditch near Odom Road.

At this time, four subjects were seen fleeing from the vehicle on foot. The subjects continued west into a field as deputies chased. Two of the four were apprehended and detained by deputies, before the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department deployed their K9, which assisted in capturing the other two individuals

All subjects were transported to the Tunica County Sheriff's Office without further incident. All four occupants of the vehicle have been identified as:

• Black, male, juvenile subject - 17 of Memphis, TN
• Black, male, juvenile subject - 17 of Memphis, TN
• Black, male, juvenile subject - 15 of Memphis, TN
• Black, male, juvenile subject - 14 of Memphis, TN

Three firearms were recovered in the field that the subjects fled through. They were taken into custody for TCSO for further processing. It was later determined upon further investigation of the incident that the vehicle involved in the pursuit had been reported stolen from a convenience store in Memphis, TN.

TCSO would like to thank the men and women from DeSoto County Sheriff's Department and Hernando Police Department for assisting our agency with this incident.

These individuals are being charged by Tunica County Sheriff's Office with felony fleeing, burglary of a vehicle while in possession of a stolen vehicle. TCSO believes that this incident is in connection to recent burglaries of vehicles over the last several weeks.

This incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is urged to call TCSO at 662-363-1411 or CrimeStoppers at 662-910-0400.