By Nicklaus Lovelady
The Jackson Clarion-Ledger
JACKSON, Miss. — Jackson police officer DeWayne Collier was still inside his police cruiser when the shots rang out.
The Monday morning pursuit of two robbery suspects turned violent for the six-year veteran when police say the suspects opened fire and critically wounded Collier.
One bullet pierced his windshield, hitting Collier in the head.
The second struck him in the torso as he got out of the vehicle to return fire.
Collier, 37, remained in critical condition at the University of Mississippi Medical Center late Monday.
The suspects in the shootout were apprehended Monday afternoon.
Cornelius Black, 20, of Jackson and Antonio Turner, 22, of Brandon are each charged with aggravated assault of a police officer, armed carjacking, two counts of armed robbery of a business and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bond had not been set.
Monday afternoon, police were searching for a possible third suspect.
“We don’t know if (one of the suspects) conjured up a third person or if there is any validity to it, but we are treating it as if there is some validity to it,” Chief of Police Malcolm McMillin said.
The shooting occurred on Clinton Boulevard in west Jackson just after 11 a.m.
McMillin said Collier spotted a gold Kia Spectrum traveling west on Clinton Boulevard that matched the description of a vehicle used in the robbery of Mississippi Title Loans, 1898 U.S. 80 in Jackson, earlier in the day.
Two armed men wearing masks held up the business about 10:30 a.m. and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.
“Officer Collier radioed his location and attempted to stop the vehicle,” McMillin said.
The suspects’ vehicle continued along Clinton Boulevard, with Collier chasing, until the suspects misjudged a sharp curve and plowed into a ditch just west of the Clinton city limits, police spokesman Sgt. Jeffery Scott said.
“At least one of the suspects got out the vehicle and fired several shots at Collier, striking him several times,” McMillin said.
One of the suspects stepped over the bleeding but still conscious Collier and fled the scene in his patrol car, police said. The suspect got out of the car on Norman Street, about four miles from where the shooting took place, they said.
Marion Landrum, the owner of Landrum’s Produce on Clinton Boulevard, heard the shots as he brought tomatoes outside.
“I heard the sirens, and when I looked up I saw the brown car driving about 100 mph down the road. Then I saw the police car,” Landrum said. “A few seconds later, I heard seven or eight shots. I knew either police were shooting at him or he was shooting at the police.”
Less than two minutes after he heard the shots, he said he saw swarms of officers filling the neighborhood.
What ensued was a massive law enforcement search that included the JPD SWAT unit, K-9 units, a helicopter and other local and state agencies.
The first suspect, who was found hiding in a wooded area near the abandoned squad car, was taken into custody about 12:21 p.m.
The second was apprehended 10 minutes later hiding in a wooded area near the site of the shooting.
Neither Black’s nor Turner’s criminal record were available Monday night, but McMillin said, “They are no strangers to the system.”
McMillin said police are looking into the possibility that the suspects might have robbed Collier after he was shot.
Late Monday afternoon, scanner traffic between JPD officers suggested a gun was found near the site of the shooting.
Scott would not confirm that a weapon had been found but said additional evidence had been recovered that would further link the suspects to the shooting.
Police said the gold Kia also matched the description of the vehicles used in several other recent crimes, including the robbery of a north Jackson Sonic and a Popeyes on Clinton Boulevard.
After the shooting, Collier was transported to UMC, where doctors first worked to stop the bleeding and then performed surgery, officials said.
Melton said Collier’s family was in “good spirits” during his surgery Monday morning. The family was at the hospital, but unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, Precinct 2 Cmdr. Jesse Robinson tried to remain focused while coping with the possibility of losing one of his best officers.
“We as officers see a lot of tragedy, so we have to have a thick skin,” Robinson said. “But that human factor kicks in when you have one of your own injured.”
Copyright 2008 The Jackson Clarion-Ledger