The string of actions that led to Cordell Jackson’s death and a local teenager in jail for murder began late Tuesday night when an armed teenager carjacked a woman.
“A woman was getting into her vehicle in 3500 of Buckner Rd. when she was carjacked by the suspect, who possessed a handgun. The suspect demanded property, took her car, and threatened her life,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia
When Dallas Police noticed the vehicle in the vicinity of 1000 block of South Buckner Boulevard a few hours later, they attempted to make contact with the occupants. However, the driver of the Camry refused to pull over and instead led police on a chase through Grand Prairie and Arlington before returning to Dallas.
Once back in the city, the vehicle ran a red light at Great Trinity Forest Way and Wadsworth Drive, crashing into a Chevy Impala, killing Jackson and injuring his passenger.
“By the time this guy in the white car had seen him, it’s too late. ‘Bam,’ he hit him way over there, bent up the whole side of the car. Man, I knew that man wasn’t going to make it, he just wasn’t going to make it, and it’s sad,” said witness Vernon Young.
All four occupants of the Camry, including the 14-year-old driver, were taken to a local hospital and treated for their injuries. The young driver is now facing charges for unauthorized use of a vehicle, evading arrest, unlawfully carrying of a weapon and murder.
While Young was surprised to see such young teenagers exiting the stolen car, telling reporters, “They were young kids that jacked and stole a car, that’s pitiful, and it’s sad it’s really sad these people got to bury their father, or a mother’s got to bury their son for senseless stuff, it don’t make sense,” Chief Garcia is less shocked.
The city has seen a recent increase in juvenile offenders committing violent crimes, especially carjackings.
“Who’s the next victim of a violent carjacking?” Garcia said. “It’s distressing to know that we’re seeing more and more juvenile suspects.”