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They Shot At Chester!
posted (May 13, 2016)
And the Commander of the Southside police happened to be driving nearby in his personal vehicle when the shots rang out. But Assistant C ommissioner Chester Williams didn't just call for backup, he sprang into pursuit - and a few minutes later, he was coming under fire. He told us what it was like:...

The narrative begins on Euphrates Avenue. Mark Vernon had just been shot and South Side Commander Chester Williams heard it on the police radio as he was driving near Vernon Street.

ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South
"As I make my way into Vernon Street, I heard a transmission on the police communication network to the effect that shots were being fired on Euphrates Avenue. The transmission also describe the vehicle that was involve in the shooting which is a black Mazda pickup truck super cab. So I applied my instincts and I said 'if the shooting happens on King Street, then more than likely the targets would have been people from the George Street area and the suspects would have been from either the Jane Usher Boulevard or the Faber's Road area or the Supal Street. And so I think about escapes routes where the vehicle involved would use to flee the scene. So I made my way into Magazine Road and onto Dolphin Street. Whilst on Dolphin Street reaching the intersection with Raccoon Street, I saw the black Mazda pickup resembling that described on the police communication network coming out of Raccoon from the direction of Euphrates Avenue onto Dolphin Street. So I went immediately behind the vehicle and upon getting closer to the vehicle, I notice that the vehicle began to pick up speed. So right away I said this must be the vehicle involved in the shooting."

What happened next seemed like something out of an action movie. The black Mazda pickup made a sudden turn onto Armadillo Street and began to quickly pick up speed. The vehicle then crisscrossed hoping to shake off Williams. But he continued in hot pursuit. The chase went on through Seagull Street and onto North Creek Road. But suddenly the suspects' pickup made an unexpected stop near one Man Bridge at the corner of North Creek and Curassow. What followed next, was a deadly stare down.

ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South
"The vehicle came to a sudden stop and I was like very close to the vehicle. concerned that I was unarmed I reverse at bit and I open my vehicle door to approach the vehicle and as I did so a person who I recognized immediately as Zacharia Knox came out of the from the passenger seat of the vehicle and he stepped towards me and he was armed with what appeared to be a 9mm pistol and he fired 3 shots at my direction, but fortunately he missed."

Thinking the Commander might have at least been shaken up by the shots fired in his direction, the suspect then darted across the bridge and escaped through the Supal Street. But the stare down was enough for Williams to identify his attacker as 19 year old Zacharia Knox.

The pursuit then continued on to Raccoon Street and on to Central American Boulevard until it was intercepted by police at the corner of Faber's road.

ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South
"The vehicle had 3 more occupants in it. The driver was one Larry Wright and accompanied him in the vehicle was one Justin Hyde of Jane Usher and one Devon Sankey. You will recall he was just release of a murder charge. He is on the Supal Street area and is the brother of the now deceased Keon Williams. Those were the persons who were inside the vehicle. The vehicle was then searched and brought to the police station along with its occupants and we then went in pursuit of the other suspect because I knew who he was and we managed to locate him on Benbow Street in a house and he was taken into custody. I saw him and I must say he play a lucky card. If I had a gun, he would be a dead man today, because he was right in front of me. But God is good and I give God thanks that even though I did not have a weapon with me I managed to come out alive and I think that that speaks for itself."

Reporting for 7 news Emanuel Pech.

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