The call to police came from a neighbor -- they saw blood leading from an apartment at 404 Tunnel Blvd. on Saturday.
There, police found a ransacked apartment -- and a body, according to court documents.
Two teenagers have been charged in the man's death, but not before they led police on a lengthy chase in the victim's stolen truck after the homicide and injured two bystanders during a shootout with police around 4 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.
Gary Toney Jr.Police say the men, Gary Toney Jr., 19, and Javonte Davis, 17, fired semiautomatic weapons at least 11 times at the officers before jumping in the stolen vehicle and fleeing.
"It speaks to the brazen criminality of these people and how intent they were not to be caught by law enforcement," Chattanooga Police Department Chief Fred Fletcher said. "They were willing to endanger anybody in the community and commit felony assault on police officers to try to escape custody."
Both men are being held without bond in the case, and both are gang members, according to police. Davis already was out on bond when the homicide happened on Saturday -- he'd previously been charged with first-degree murder in another case in juvenile court.
The man who died on Saturday had not yet been identified by police as of press time Monday because his family must first be informed of his death.
On Saturday, the dead man's white truck was missing from his home. After the homicide, police were notified that people driving in a white truck had tried to use $50 counterfeit bills. By the time police arrived, however, the truck and its passengers were gone.
Officers again spotted the truck a couple hours later about three miles away from the homicide scene, on Milne Street, with three people inside.
When an officer pulled up behind the vehicle, two suspects jumped out from the passenger side and driver's side and opened fire while the truck was still slowly rolling. The bullets struck and injured two brothers -- Elijah Springs, 18, and Edward Springs, 19. The officer was not injured.
Both brothers were hit in the upper thigh and treated at a hospital. Their injuries were not life-threatening.
After about two miles, the fleeing suspects wrecked the vehicle at 3005 Kendale Drive. Davis was taken into custody in the car, while a juvenile girl and Toney fled on foot. Both were taken into custody. The girl has not been charged.
Police later found a bloody knife and mail belonging to the victim at Toney's apartment.
Police say this homicide is unrelated to the shooting of 16-year-old Kentrell Provens, who died on Sunday, not far away on North Germantown Road.
Contact staff writer Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas.