Chattanooga Police News: Facebook threats lead to arrest

photo Colby David Knecht

Facebook threats lead to arrest

A Collegedale man is behind bars after making threats on Facebook toward a police officer, according to a news release.

Colby David Knecht was arrested Tuesday after detectives with the Collegedale Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division received information Monday about comments made on Knecht's profile.

Knecht wrote that he intended to kill a Collegedale police officer if he came on his property again, the release says.

The posting seemed to be a retaliatory threat against the officer who had earlier performed a traffic stop on Knecht's mother. She had received a warning from the officer.

The post contained a number of other threats against the officer as well as anti-law enforcement comments.

Knecth was arrested and booked on the charge of retaliation for past actions. He was taken to the Hamilton County Jail on a $1,500 bond.

Officer confronts robbery suspect

Chattanooga police are looking for a man who they say robbed a convenience store Monday night.

Officer Dewayne Prater watched a robbery about 11:10 p.m. at the Kanku's Express, 4408 State Highway 58. The man pointed a gun at a clerk and demanded money, according to a news release.

Outside the store, Prater confronted the man. The suspect pointed a gun at Prater, according to the release, and Prater fired several rounds. He missed the suspect, and the suspect escaped. He is still at large.

According to the release, the suspect is a black man. He's about 5 feet, 11 inches tall and of a medium build. On Monday night, he wore black pants, black shoes and a gray sweatshirt on top of a white T-shirt. He also wore a Halloween mask.

Anyone with information on this crime can call Chattanooga police at 423-698-2525.

Break-ins reported at Riverbend

Chattanooga police have received reports of car break-ins near the Riverbend Festival's riverfront site.

A majority of the break-ins have been to vehicles parked on Riverfront Parkway and Riverside Drive since Friday, Master Patrol Officer Nathan Hartwig said in a news release.

Hartwig said items are being taken out of unlocked vehicles. However, in some cases, locked vehicles have had windows smashed to gain access to valuables, he said.

While police will continue to patrol the area, they are asking that festivalgoers leave valuables at home.

Police also are asking people to call them if they see anyone suspicious loitering near parked cars. Chattanooga police can be reached at 698-2525.

Man wounded on Main Street

A man went to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening after someone shot him early Monday morning outside a Chattanooga bar, according to Chattanooga police.

Dejuan Stinson had just left the bar, at 2510 E. Main St., around 3 a.m. when someone fired at him several times, according to a news release. A bullet struck Stinson, 31, in his shoulder.

This is the second shooting outside the bar in two months. On April 2, according to an arrest report, Andrew Wilson Jr. killed Desmond McClure on the bar's property. Wilson faces charges of homicide and tampering with evidence, police said.

No one has been arrested in Monday morning's shooting, according to a release.

photo Qunechous Christina Posley

Woman charged in outlet thefts

A woman suspected of shoplifting at the Calhoun, Ga., outlet mall was arrested on Highway 53, according to Calhoun police.

Police Chief Garry Moss said in a news release that 36-year-old Qunechous Christina Posley, of Chattanooga, was arrested in connection with the theft of $3,500 in merchandise from the Prime Outlets mall.

Officers were called to the Coach outlet, where they were told a woman had been seen stealing handbags from the store, Moss said.

A lookout was issued for a suspect, who left the mall in a black Honda Accord. A Gordon County Sheriff's Office deputy spotted the vehicle near Interstate 75, according to the chief.

Moss said that when police arrived they found merchandise from several other outlet stores and were able to return the stolen goods to the stores.

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