Brookhaven 16-year-old charged as adult after shooting at police
Published 12:53 am Tuesday, November 28, 2017
The Brookhaven youth who allegedly fired at police has been charged with aggravated assault as an adult.
Michael “Mike Mike” Smith, who turned 16 Nov. 21, was booked in Lincoln County jail at 2 a.m. today, said Brookhaven Police Chief Kenneth Collins.
Smith was a passenger in a black sedan that was stopped by police on East Monticello Street near Henry Myers Street in front of Rosehill Cemetery around 11 p.m. Monday.
He fled the vehicle, leaving the driver in the car.
Smith ran across the front lawn of Brookhaven High School headed toward Panther Park, but was blocked by a police car at North Third Street. Smith pulled a weapon and started shooting at police, Collins said.
“We had officers returning fire,” Collins said.
Smith ran and police and Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies set up a perimeter around the block. Officers tracked his moves through the ankle bracelet he wore.
He was apprehended behind the buildings between Progressive Insurance and Lincoln County School District on East Monticello just before midnight.
Collins said the driver was not charged. The juvenile told police Smith had called him for a ride.
“He had no idea what this fellow was up to,” Collins said.
He said he appreciated the immediate response from Lincoln County deputies.
“It was a joint effort to get the subject in custody without anybody getting killed,” he said.
Officers scoured the area around the school and at least two shell casings were found in the park just before midnight. The gun was recovered soon after.
Collins did not know what the initial stop was for, but said that police are stopping all suspicious vehicles in a continued effort to locate Justin Anderson, who is a suspect in the shooting death of Billy Ray Thomas Friday night at the Oasis Club on Martin Street at South First Street.
No one was injured in the exchange of gunfire between Smith and officers.