GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga.,None — Gwinnett County police said a quick-thinking off-duty officer helped capture a suspect minutes after he carjacked a man with a loaded gun.
The victim, Allyn Whitlow, 19, of Duluth, told Channel 2s Kerry Kavanaugh that he was trying to sell the man some speakers he posted on Craigslist.
Whitlow said the Craigslist deal started off normal then turned into a nightmare when the would-be buyer pointed a gun in his face and demanded he get out of the car.
"There was a bullet in the chamber and the whole entire thing was loaded, Whitlow said.
He said he agreed to meet the man along Breckinridge Road near Duluth to sell him speakers.
When they first met, Whitlow was with friends.
"We stood there, we talked, he showed us his tattoos and stuff," said Whitlow.
But, when they couldn't agree on a price, Whitlow said the man asked for a ride to a nearby motel. It was just the two of them.
"He said, 'If you don't get out of the car, I'm going to kill you.' So I said, 'OK,' and got out the car."
Whitlow then called 911.
An off-duty officer who heard the alert was in the area.
"He was watching for the vehicle and sure enough, the suspect drove past his location, said Gwinnett County police Cpl. Ed Ritter.
Ritter said the officer chased the suspect until he stopped the car and hopped out. It turns out the car didn't have much gas.
"He was able to communicate over the radio, set up perimeter with officers who were on duty, Ritter said.
Police arrested Mitchell Hart, 19, of Lawrenceville, and charged him with multiple felonies including hijacking a motor vehicle and armed robbery.
The car was returned to the victim.
"They caught them in under five minutes. That's unbeatable," Whitlow said.
Gwinnett County police said this reinforces why they have officers take home patrol cars. More patrol cars on the road mean a greater police presence.