Police: Shooting suspect left baby in wrecked car after high-speed chase

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Police say a man wanted in connection with severely injuring a 4-year-old is now also wanted for hurting his baby in a reckless accident.

“Oh my goodness glory Jesus name, why?” asked Jasmine Landers.

Landers reacted to a crime scene photo Channel 2’s Liz Artz showed her Wednesday.

Detectives believe the man responsible for a shooting that severely injured her 4-year-old boy is the same man who led them on a high-speed chase that resulted in a crash Monday. Police told Artz in an exclusive interview that Billy Joe Malcom left his baby in the wrecked car and ran from police.

DeKalb County Police Lt. Douglas Bentley told Artz when they reached the car Malcom was gone, but his 1-year-old son and a female passenger were still inside.

“Running from the police while a child is in the car. You don’t care about nobody, that’s sad. Somebody needs to hurry up and get him off the streets," Landers said.

Bentley told Artz tips came pouring in after a Channel 2 Action News story aired last week showing a mug shot of Malcom. Police tracked him down, at which point the chase happened.

“It look like he's not going to stop. Look what he just did. He not trying to stop," Landers told Artz.

Investigators believe Malcom is just one in a group of men who were involved in an armed robbery at the Highland East Apartments on Flat Shoals Road Dec. 5. Jaquavious Landers, 4, was riding his Big Wheel when he was caught in crossfire after the men started shooting. The preschooler survived, but lost his spleen and will have scars where the bullet went in his chest and came out his back, doctors said. His family created a GoFundMe page to help with his medical expenses.

“Can somebody just turn him in? There’s a reward. You know who he is. He's just out there hurting people. It's not going to stop until someone stops him. Plain and simple,” Landers said.

If you have any information, you can stay anonymous by contacting CrimeStoppers at 404-577-8477.

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