ATLANTA —The Atlanta Police Department has released body camera and helicopter footage showing the pursuit of several suspects wanted for stealing a car and police equipment, according to a department news release.
The Jan. 24 incident began when officers asked the APD’s air unit for assistance in locating a stolen vehicle, according to the release. After locating the vehicle, air unit officers assisted officers on the ground in pursuing the suspect.
After performing a successful PIT maneuver, the officers deployed K-9 units as the suspects fled the vehicle on foot, aerial video shows. Air unit officers tracked the fleeing suspects as they fled, describing their location to officers on the ground.
Two of the suspects ran in opposite directions, while one appeared to climb a tree.
One officer’s body camera footage shows him approaching the stolen vehicle to find one person seated in the back, along with a stolen APD duty belt. The individual complied with the officer’s instructions and was taken into custody without incident.
The individual, who was wearing gloves, claimed he was not involved in the criminal activity and was getting a ride from the other suspects.
“Shut the f*** up,” the officer responded. “Wearing gloves, just giving you a ride, like this is my first day.”
Aerial footage then shows two suspects continuing to flee on foot before hiding inside a dumpster. Body camera footage appears to show an officer walking up to the dumpster and spraying pepper spray through an opening in the side.
Shortly after the pepper spray deployment, a suspect appeared out of the dumpster opening with hands raised. Both suspects hiding in the dumpster were detained without incident.
“How’d y’all like that OC [spray]? S*** spicy ain’t it?” one officer says.
The four suspects were charged with criminal tresspass and automobile entry, and three were additionally charged with theft, according to the release. The department did not disclose details surrounding the theft of the police equipment in the release.
