Update: Pursuit, shots fired and barricade situation lead to arrests in Southaven

Photo: Police vehicles block the entrance to an intersection off Airways Blvd. during a Monday morning standoff with suspects. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

MARCH 27 UPDATE: Bond was set Wednesday, March 27 for the two suspects involved in the shots fired, pursuit and barricade inside a Southaven warehouse. Franshawn Brown, age 18 of Memphis, is being held without bond in the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center in Hernando. Lamottis Simms Jr., age 19 of Memphis, is also in the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center on a $1.2 million bond.

Southaven charges against Simms, as listed on the DeSoto County Jail website, include attempted murder/capital murder, possession of a stolen firearm, receiving stolen property over $1,000, and felony conspiracy to commit a crime. From Horn Lake, Simms is charged with conspiracy and attempt to commit an offense.

Brown is charged, according to the DeSoto County Jail information, from Southaven with attempted murder/capital murder, felony conspiracy to commit a crime, felony fleeing law enforcement, and receiving stolen property over $1,000. From Horn Lake, he is charged with felony conspiracy to commit a crime and attempt to commit a crime.

ORIGINAL STORY

Two men from Memphis are in custody following their arrest and a several-hour standoff at a Southaven warehouse, a standoff that ended early Monday evening and started when one of the suspects fired at one of the officers as they were being pursued.  

The men arrested were identified as Lamottis Simms Jr, age 19 of Memphis, who police said is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder on Law Enforcement and two counts of Receiving Stolen Property; and Franshawn Brown, age 18 and also of Memphis, who is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder on Law Enforcement and two counts of Receiving Stolen Property.

According to Southaven police, the incident started around 8 a.m. Monday morning when they were advised that Horn Lake officers were pursuing auto burglary suspects in a stolen gray Nissan Altima with a temporary Tennessee vehicle tag. They also had a stolen handgun in their possession.  

The car was heading north on Horn Lake Road when Horn Lake police tried to stop the car with stop sticks near DeSoto Road, however the vehicle continued with flat tires. 

Police said the suspects then headed east on Stateline Road and turned southbound onto I-55. That’s when it lost control and struck a concrete median. The men left the vehicle, crossing the interstate and climbing over the fence toward Hamilton Road.  

One of the suspects reportedly fired shots at pursuing officers who returned fire. The pair would eventually run into a warehouse and barricade themselves. No one was hurt in the exchange of gunshots.

Around 6 p.m., Southaven police issued a release saying the situation was cleared and the men were arrested.  

District Attorney Matthew Barton issued a statement, stating his was relieved to learn of the arrest.

We are relieved to learn that today’s standoff resulted in the successful apprehension of two criminals and the officers involved will go home to their families today unhurt. We applaud the work of Southaven and all of the agencies involved. We look forward to working with them to put these criminals behinds bars for a very long time.

District Attorney Matthew Barton