A Tennessee driver was carjacked and kidnapped in what authorities describe as a targeted attack carried out by suspects impersonating police officers, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
A Fake Traffic Stop
The incident happened around 8:25 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12, in a residential area near Glen Eden Drive and Tulip Rose Lane in Shelby County. Deputies responded to reports of a carjacking and kidnapping involving a dark-colored sedan fitted with red and blue law enforcement-style lights.
Investigators say the victim had just pulled into his neighborhood when the sedan activated its lights, prompting him to stop. Believing it was a legitimate traffic stop, he got out of his car — at which point authorities say he was attacked and forced back inside. Two suspects got into the victim’s vehicle with him, while a third was believed to be involved in the incident as well.
An Alarm Forces the Suspects to Flee
The suspects drove the victim back to his own home, where things escalated further. Investigators say the victim’s home alarm system triggered when they arrived, causing the suspects to flee the scene with the victim still trapped inside the vehicle.
Deputies later spotted the victim’s car traveling at high speed and attempted a traffic stop, kicking off a pursuit that was eventually called off after deputies lost sight of the vehicle near Rideway and Interstate 385.
Escape and Recovery
A short time later, the victim managed to escape from the suspects and made it to a nearby business, where he called emergency services. Authorities confirmed that both the victim and his vehicle were recovered, and that he was not seriously injured.
Investigators believe the attack was targeted and that the suspects were known to the victim, though the identities of those involved have not been released. Law enforcement is continuing efforts to identify and locate both the suspects and the vehicle used to impersonate a police car.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation remains ongoing and is asking anyone with information to contact authorities or Crime Stoppers.