Crime
23-Year-Old Joey Vincent Simmons II Dies in Crash Following High-Speed Pursuit with Arkansas State Police
Bee Branch, Ark. — A 23-year-old Memphis man was killed Wednesday morning following a high-speed pursuit with Arkansas State Police in Van Buren County.
Authorities say the individual, identified as Joey Vincent Simmons II, was the subject of a Be On the Lookout (BOLO) alert in connection with recent armed robberies at convenience stores in Conway and Damascus.
The pursuit began around 7:45 a.m. after troopers spotted Simmons driving a Toyota Camry northbound on U.S. Highway 65, just south of Bee Branch.
According to investigators, Simmons refused to stop and initiated a dangerous high-speed chase, reportedly reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
During the pursuit, Simmons passed other vehicles on the right shoulder and drove into oncoming traffic, significantly endangering other motorists.
Police further stated that Simmons fired a weapon at troopers during the pursuit.
No troopers were struck or injured, and law enforcement officers did not return fire at any point during the incident.
The chase ended when Simmons lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the roadway into a wooded area, where it crashed.
Authorities say Simmons was ejected from the vehicle as a result of the crash.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His body has been transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the official cause and manner of death.
No injuries to law enforcement officers were reported. The investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.