Police think carjacking, chase related
Beloit police believe a report of shots fired and a short chase in Beloit Township and a reported armed carjacking Friday night and early Saturday morning could be related, according to the Beloit Police Department.
According to a news release from the department:
A report of shots fired near Cranston Road and Wisconsin Avenue came to town police just before midnight. Town police briefly chased the car southbound on Wisconsin Avenue before giving up the pursuit.
A city of Beloit police officer then spotted a vehicle driving at high speed without headlights near Wisconsin and Summit avenues. When he attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled at high speed through an east side neighborhood. The officer discontinued the pursuit after a short chase.
A short time later, Beloit police received a report of an armed car-jacking that had occurred earlier. The victim reported that the car that he had been driving in the area of Wisconsin and Copeland had been carjacked at gunpoint.
Beloit police found the vehicle abandoned in the 1700 block of Pine Street in Beloit. It was determined to be the one that had been pursued by police.
Beloit police later recovered a weapon that may have been used in one or more of these incidents.
These incidents remain under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Beloit Police Department (608) 364-6801 or the Greater Beloit Crime Stoppers at (608) 362-7461.
Aug 2, 2009 at 8:36 p.m.
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So was the carjacking, chase related to the fatal accident on Beloit's west side? I don't see anything in the news on it and it sounded pretty bad on the scanner.
Aug 2, 2009 at 5:52 p.m.
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So if they stop the chase and they shoot and kill someone later on then the death isnt "on the heads" of the offenders? makes no sense.
Aug 2, 2009 at 5:38 p.m.
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You know what? If the chase had continued and they hit some innocent person and killed them it would have sucked. I'm not heartless here, but what if they let them go and there was a report of shots fired and someone got killed? Better I think for the police to be proactive and those deaths resulting from a chase to fall on the heads of those being chased. It's not the fault of the police that they're enforcing the law, it's the fault of those running away that they take the lives of others. My sympathies, of course, to the innocent victims.
Aug 2, 2009 at 5:33 p.m.
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They did not know the people in the car had jacked it at the time. There was no justification for a high-speed chase. Even if they had known, it's a fine line whether you pursue and put at risk civilians and police for a property crime, or just put out a BOLO to all area jurisdictions.
Aug 2, 2009 at 4:56 p.m.
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I agree, eatless!
Aug 2, 2009 at 3:38 p.m.
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My thoughts exactly.
Aug 2, 2009 at 3:33 p.m.
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Damned if you do - Damned if you don't.
Aug 2, 2009 at 3:30 p.m.
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For those of you whining about them calling off this chase. What would you be saying if they hadnt called off the chase and the offenders hit and killed some innocent bystander or bystanders? My guess is that youd be whining that they should have called off the chase.
Aug 2, 2009 at 2:42 p.m.
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I agree, I think they have a few officers not following the protect and serve side.. Maybe they should have those to go back to chalking tires.
Aug 2, 2009 at 2:38 p.m.
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How do you just end a chase with reports of shots fired? Do they have to kill someone to be important enough to chase?
Aug 2, 2009 at 2:21 p.m.
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Not cool... So the sad thing is now in Beloit, the criminals are seeing that they could infact commit a major crime at night. Then just drive wreckless to shake cops and they will just call off the chase. Due to fear of personal and public safety? That is scary to me..
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