Two Newton County schools were placed on lockdown for students' safety Tuesday morning after robbery suspects fled their vehicle in the area of Fairview Road.
According to Conyers Police Chief David Cathcart, an older woman was approached in the Bank of America parking lot on Ga. Highway 138 by one of the suspects who reportedly asked her if he could borrow some money. When she told him no, he allegedly pushed her and grabbed her purse.
The suspect, along with another man and a woman, fled the area in a tan 1997 Oldsmobile, followed closely by the victim's son-in-law. When the suspects reached Access and Fairview roads their vehicle died and two of the three fled the area on foot.
As a precaution, both Fairview Elementary School and Clements Middle School were locked down from approximately 10:45 a.m. until roughly 1:45 p.m., letting no one in or out of the schools.
Deputies from the Newton County Sheriff's Office, officers and K-9 units from the Conyers Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol's air unit joined forces to search the area. The female suspect, identified as 25-year-old Shemika Williams, stayed with her vehicle, according to Cathcart, and one of the male suspects, 30-year-old Tommy Davis, was captured less then 15 minutes after he fled the area. As of press time the third suspect, a black male in his 20s who authorities would not name, has yet to be captured.
"This is one of those instanced that crosses jurisdictional boundaries," said Cathcart. "We are all in this together and with the help of the Newton County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia State Patrol we were able to apprehend the suspects. It was a total team effort on everyone's part and we really appreciate their assistance and all that they did. If they ever need us we are there for those agencies as well.
The missing suspect is described as a black male in his 20s, last seen wearing a white shirt and jeans and white tennis shoes. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Conyers Police Department at (770) 483-6600 or online at http://www.conyersga.com/Living/Police.aspx. All tips can remain anonymous.
