Man wanted in murder of Mississippi man, shooting of 3-year-old arrested after leading chase with officers in South Florida
Published 9:33 am Thursday, May 19, 2022
A Mississippi man who wanted for questioning in the murder of a Pike County man and the shooting of a 3-year-old was arrested in South Florida after he attempted to flee officers during a traffic stop.
Deputies from Collier County, Florida, took the suspect, later identified as Thomas Brown, into custody after Brown fled officers in Immokalee.
On March 18, Pike County Sheriff’s Office reported that Brown was wanted for questioning about a March shooting when a man was shot in the back twice and a three-year-old was shot in the foot. The man who was shot in the back later died.
Reports indicate that on Tuesday, deputies attempted a traffic stop when Brown ran a stop sign around 4 p.m. Brown then led deputies on a chase until he hit another vehicle. After Brown’s car came to a stop in the grass, Brown fled on foot. When Brown reportedly reached for a gun in his waistband, deputies drew their guns and ordered Brown to the ground.
Brown reportedly pulled out a black revolver which he dropped on the ground. He was then taken into custody.
According to Fox 4 News in Southwest Florida, Brown told deputies that he ran because he had a gun and marijuana on him and also did not have a driver’s license. Fox 4 reports that the gun Brown had in his pockets was a loaaded Taurus revolver.
Brown was charged with fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of a traffic crash with property damage, carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, resisting arrest, driving without a license, and possession of marijuana.
When taken into custody, deputies say that Brown gave a false name. After he was booked into the jail, deputies discovered Brown had other warrants out for murder and attempted murder in Mississippi.