Three suspects killed in crash believed to be involved in deadly ASU shootings

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – Authorities are investigating a deadly crash in the 300 block of South Magnolia Street in Albany on Sunday, October 27.

According to Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler, four people were involved in the crash, one person, the driver of the vehicle, is in the hospital and three are dead.

The following people have died:

18-year-old Jakwon Hill
20-year-old Zion McClendon
17-year-old Quantavious Vicks

According to a report from the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the suspects failed to yield to troopers attempting to conduct a traffic stop after spotting a white Mercedes-Benz traveling at a speed of 75 miles per hour in a zone of 64 kilometers per hour.

Coroner Fowler told WALB that the car struck the railroad tracks at Magnolia Street and Broad Avenue around 1:45 a.m., flew into the air, hit a tree and then a telephone pole before being torn into pieces. The three occupants of the car were thrown from the car.

GSP said when troopers arrived on scene, they found the driver still in the driver’s seat. The driver was taken to hospital with head and facial injuries.

The driver’s condition is currently unknown.

GSP said a search of the vehicle revealed loaded firearms.

“According to preliminary information from the Albany PD, the deceased subjects, along with the firearms, are believed to be suspects involved in the Albany State University shooting that occurred (October 19) in which 1 person was killed and 4 injured by gunfire,” GSP said in the report.

WALB also spoke with neighbors who said they saw a horrific scene. They said troopers were chasing a car that crashed near the corner of South Magnolia Street and Edgerly Avenue.

This morning, WALB was at the scene of the crash as APD officers blocked the roads so the GBI could investigate the aftermath.

Neighbors say they were woken by the sound of a white Mercedes-Benz crashing into a large tree.

“The motorcycle ended up there. The broadcast was there. It was just…Honestly, it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve been thinking about it all night. I stayed awake until about five in the morning. I just couldn’t imagine it,” said one neighbor.

WALB investigated the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s policies regarding high-speed pursuits within city limits. It does give troopers a degree of subjectivity in their decision to pursue.

According to a previously published statement, the Ministry of Public Security protects Georgians by ensuring that our members use common sense and act within the boundaries of policy and law. Our pursuit policy states that actions must be ‘objectively reasonable.’

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution conducted a study of 6,700 GSP chases between 2019 and 2023. The paper found that more than half ended in accidents, and that GSP’s fatality rate is the worst in the U.S.

“I’m from Florida. In Florida they don’t do high speed chases through neighborhoods. They don’t. This is a busy road and there are people walking up and down here all the time. You know, in Florida when a chase comes into a neighborhood, they call it off and bring out the helicopters, and they still get the guy,” said another neighbor.

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