Two men were injured in a shooting at the Economy Inn in Chattanooga on Friday and two suspects were apprehended minutes later after a brief vehicle pursuit, according to Chattanooga police.
Police chased the suspects, whose names have not been released, from the inn at 5505 Brainerd Road to the 3500 block of Ohls Avenue. Both suspects were taken into custody shortly after the shooting, according to police.
One suspect was suffering from a gunshot wound apparently sustained during the shooting at the Economy Inn. The other suspect was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries he sustained during the arrest.
Police also recovered a gun that the suspects threw out the window of the vehicle during the pursuit. The gun may have been used in the shooting, according to police.
Police stand on the 2nd floor of the Economy Inn on Brainerd Road after a double-shooting just after 12 p.m. on Friday, July 10, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Two suspects were apprehended by police after a chase to the 3500 block of Ohls Avenue.The two men injured in the shooting at the Economy Inn are expected to recover from their gunshot wounds, according to police. They have not been identified.
Officers taped off parts of a second-story outdoor hallway after the shooting. Brian Hawkins, an employee at an oil change garage next to the inn, said he and another employee were sitting outside when a man suddenly came running out of the motel, clutching his side and limping.
“Another guy came chasing him down on foot, with no shoes on,” Hawkins said.
He said police brought two wounded men down from the inn, and said that one man looked like he’d been shot in the arm.
A woman at the motel who refused to identify herself also refused to allow reporters on the inn’s property. The location is owned by Lookout Mountain Suites, according to property records.
A person who answered the phone at Lookout Mountain Suites also declined to comment on the incident.
This is not the first time there has been trouble at the Economy Inn. In 2013, police got into a shootout with a fake FBI agent who stole a patrol car and later shot himself in the head after a wild police chase.
Contact staff writer Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas.