According to NC State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), Jalen L. Routt, 20, was shot and killed by troopers after a high-speed chase that spanned from Johnston County and ended in downtown Raleigh.
[Ads /]
The chase started at 1:08 a.m. in Johnston County when a state trooper tried to pull over a Nissan Rogue that was going over 100 mph in a 70 mph zone. That chase continued until the suspect exited on Hammond Road in Raleigh. Routt crashed in a lot at the intersection of East Street and Branch Street, NCSHP said.
As law enforcement tried to take him into custody, they said Routt got out of the vehicle and started shooting at them; Master Trooper Harrison Nazal returned fire hitting Routt.
Three roommates who live not far from the shooting describe to ABC11 what they heard and saw.
"I could see in the reflection the cop cars zooming passed," Rachel Myers said.
Samantha Leclair said she heard sirens and then what sounded like gunshots.
"I heard sirens first and then I heard gunshots and then I thought the sirens would go away and they just didn't. You could see in our windows the police, all the lights."
[Ads /]
Lecair said she then woke up another roommate.
'I woke Julie up because I heard the gunshots and I was like 'no way." 'Crazy, wild - I can't get over it. Definitely scary, glad it's over. 'It was nothing - a couple of cop lights - and then all of a sudden it was the whole street, they had crime scene tape up."
Julia Cox said that the incident going down so close to where they live is scary.
"The fact that they got off the highway and just so happened to be on the edge of our street is really scary. There were cops all over this street."
Routt was taken to a WakeMed hospital where he later died.
[Ads /]
'You never know what you're dealing with and this is one of those examples where in a very dangerous situation from somebody who really had nothing to lose it appears," Sgt. Chris Knox with NCSHP said.
Trooper Nazal has been placed on administrative leave as is standard protocol in any trooper-involved shootings.
Cumberland County Sheriff's Office says Routt was wanted for the murder of Anthony Adams back in January 2021 in Fayetteville.
Some law enforcement reconsider chase policies in light of innocent bystanders being injured, killed
Stranded motorist dead after shooting at trooper that stopped to help