Four arrested for involvement in last week’s shooting

Published 12:00 pm Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Four suspects were taken into custody on Monday for their involvement with last week’s shooting of two black males by a Picayune police officer at a local service station.

“U.S. Marshals, the Pearl River Sheriff’s Department, the Investigations Division and Patrol Division of the Picayune Police Department worked together in an attempt to locate all four suspects,” Assistant to the Chief of Police Jeremy Magri said.

Zetrick Greer, 19, 1116 Clarenda St., turned himself in when he learned authorities were looking for him and he was arrested on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer and felony eluding.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Greer was the driver of the gold Nissan involved in the incident and is being held in the Picayune jail with a bond set at $260,000, Magri said.

Marquise Spanks, 22, 824 Fourth St., was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest by fleeing.

“Authorities picked Spanks up at Fannie and Baylous St., where he was standing outside of a residence,” Margri said. He has been released on bond.

Joshua A. Hart, 22, 904 East 8th St., turned himself in to authorities and was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest by fleeing.

James Guillotte, 24, 24 Hayes Lanes, turned himself in to Public Housing Officer Rhonda Johnson and was arrested on a felony charge for retaliation against a police officer.

“Guillotte made direct threats to the police officer involved through a social networking site,” Magri said. “He is currently being held at the Picayune Jail on a $10,000 bond.”

“I want to thank the U.S. Marshals, the Sheriff’s Department, officers of the Picayune P.D. and Rhonda Johnson for their hard efforts in taking the suspects off the streets,” Chief Bryan Dawsey said.

Officers were dispatched to a quick stop on Memorial Boulevard Thursday night, responding to a call about a fight in progress with a gun, Deputy Chief Chad Dorn said.

As officers arrived on the scene, Greer, Spanks and Hart got into a gold Nissan and attempted to back out and leave, Dorn said.

Officers ordered the vehicle to stop and the driver refused to do so, Dorn said.

“Officers then drew their weapons in front of the car,” he said.

Greer put the car in drive and “gunned it” towards an officer, Dorn  said.

The officer then shot into the vehicle and struck Greer twice, in the left forearm and in the right forearm, he said.

Spanks, the front-seat passenger of the vehicle, was struck in the right chest area, Dorn said.

The vehicle then proceeded to leave the quick stop and headed down South Blanks Avenue, across East Canal Street to North Blanks Avenue, where it crashed at North Blanks Avenue and Washington Avenue, he said.

When officers arrived, Greer and Hart had taken off on foot and an ambulance was called for Spanks, Dorn said.

The investigation into the incident is being handled by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Magri said, “and the unnamed officer involved in the incident is still on administrative leave.”