NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: A frantic 911 call made by a Nashville woman finally brought to an end the manhunt for John C Drake Jr, son of Nashville Police Chief John Drake, who was accused of shooting officers Ashely Boleyjack and Gregory Kern on October 21.
As per the Metro Nashville Police Department, the woman made the 911 call after Drake Jr stole her car at gunpoint before killing himself after a police chase on Tuesday, October 24, WSMV 4 reported.
The call reportedly came from a home on Antioch Pike, a 15-minute drive to 15th Avenue S, where Drake Jr crashed the stolen car and later shot himself to death.
911 call that led to end of the manhunt for John C Drake Jr
In the 911 call made to report Drake Jr's alleged carjacking incident, a woman could be heard accusing the suspect of stealing her car at gunpoint.
A operator could then be heard saying, "Ma’am calm down, I understand", before the victim replied, "I'm trying, I'm trying."
"This is a very traumatic experience for you," the dispatcher told the woman.
"Some guy just robbed me at gunpoint and took my car. I just got robbed at gunpoint, he took my car, he took my car," the woman explained.
When the operator asked what the robber was wearing at the time of the robbery, the victim shared, "He has a ski mask on."
"He has a white tank top on. He has hair on his chest. He has a tattoo; I don’t know what it says," she added.
The victim mentioned that the attacker asked her for a ride at first.
"I told him I don’t have any gas and I can’t go anywhere," she said, adding, "then he told me to get out of the car at gunpoint."
Exploring the final moments of John C Drake Jr
Following a manhunt spanning several days, cops spotted the car Drake Jr stole from the woman who made the 911 call near Thompson Lane and chased after it.
Officials said that he allegedly crashed the stolen Gold Chrysler 200 into a Jeep off Villa Place before running into the backyard of a nearby home.
Drake Jr then barricaded himself in a shed behind the house and fatally shot himself, as per the Metro Nashville Police Department.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) also reported that officers heard a gunshot and found Drake Jr dead inside the shed with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Chief Christopher Meows praised the officers who took part in the chase to find Drake Jr and applauded them for their "steadfastness and dedication to seeing this case through."
He also said that the department is praying for Chief Drake, who was estranged from his son, and their family.
Mayor Freddie O'Connell also offered his condolences for Chief Drake. "My heart goes out to Chief Drake, his family, and the two wounded LaVergne police officers," he said in a statement to the Daily Mail.
"I know that despite our best efforts — including in their early years — we can’t be responsible for the choices of family members," the Mayor said.
"I support Chief Drake and stand by him at this difficult time," he added.
La Vergne officers Kern and Boleyjack were both released from Vanderbilt Medical Center and undergoing recovery at home as of Monday, October 23.
Nashville Police Chief John Drake was 'shocked' at allegations against his son
Prior to the end of Drake Jr's manhunt and his eventual death, his father, Nashville Police Chief Drake, said that he was "shocked and deeply saddened" to learn that the former "is the suspect in this afternoon’s shooting of the two La Vergne police officers."
At the time, the police chief noted that he had "very minimal contact" with his son over the years. "My thoughts and prayers are with the two officers, who I understand are now in stable condition at Vanderbilt," Chief Drake said.
"Despite my efforts and guidance in the early and teenage years, my son, John Drake Jr, now 38 years old, resorted to years of criminal activity and is a convicted felon," he added.
"He has not been a part of my life for quite some time. He now needs to be found and held accountable for his actions today. I hope that anyone who sees him or has information about him will contact law enforcement immediately," he mentioned at the time.
