Erick Charles Roberson Obituary, Death; – A 38-year-old man, who was wanted on several felony warrants, was shot and killed on Monday night after he collided with a patrol unit while Hamilton County deputies and Chattanooga police officers were attempting to stop his vehicle, according to police reports.
The individual, identified as Erick Charles Roberson, was taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries later, as stated by police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Deputies received a notification around 10 p.m. from an automated license plate reader that identified a vehicle of interest in Hamilton, Bradley, and Walker counties. They located the vehicle and tried to stop it in the parking lot of the combined McDonald’s and Circle K located off Highway 58. Officers awaited backup before attempting a ‘take-down’ at the rear of the building in a secure area, as detailed in a news release from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and the Chattanooga Police Department.
Roberson became aware of the situation, as indicated in the press release, and used his vehicle to ram into a deputy’s patrol unit. In response, deputies and officers discharged their firearms at the vehicle, hitting Roberson, according to police. Fortunately, no law enforcement personnel were harmed.
‘Unfortunately, this suspect opted to use a vehicle as a weapon against law enforcement,’ stated Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett in a written statement. ‘What other outcome could one anticipate, other than what transpired tonight?’
Chattanooga Police Chief John Chambers remarked in a press release that officers positioned themselves ‘between an imminent threat and the community they have pledged to protect.’
