CLARKSVILLE, TN – Early Sunday morning, at about 1:30, Clarksville Police responded to a 911 call about a man trying to break into cars in the 200 block of King Road.
Officers arrived in the area to find a man matching the description. They identified themselves as police officers and told him to stop, according to police spokesman Scott Beaubien. The suspect ran from the scene.
While running, he pulled a handgun and pointed it at a police sergeant but then lost control of the gun and dropped it. He was quickly arrested, and no one was injured.
The suspect, 20-year-old Travis Lamar Moore of Clarksville, was charged with aggravated assault against a first responder, attempted vehicle burglary, evading arrest, simple possession and unlawful drug paraphernalia.
“In this case, the suspect armed himself before his criminal behavior of attempting to commit vehicle burglaries in the middle of the night,” Beaubien said. “However, this has not always been the case; the number of unsecured firearms taken from unlocked vehicles is troubling and concerning. This is enabling individuals with no regard for the law a quick and easy method of obtaining firearms.
“There has been video footage of individuals ‘car hopping’ while armed. In this case in particular, within a split second, it could have easily developed into a deadly encounter between a young man and law enforcement,” Beaubien said.
“We do not recommend confronting these individuals yourself. We do encourage the citizens of Clarksville to be vigilant and if they notice any suspicious activity they are asked to call 911 and report it to the police immediately. The CPD would like to reiterate: Lock your vehicles, secure your valuables and take your keys with you. Park smart!”
Anyone with information or additional video footage is asked to contact Detective Steinlage, 931-648-0656, ext. 5472. To remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, call the Clarksville-Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Tipsline 931-645-8477, or go online and submit a tip at P3tips.com/591.