NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Nashville man is facing federal carjacking and firearms charges after carjacking a woman and her 11-year-old child last November.
Devan Javon Thompson, 31, was charged yesterday with carjacking, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Don Cochran announced.
On November 20, 2019, a woman and her 11-year-old child were shopping at Kroger on Old Hickory Blvd. in Hermitage, when she noticed Thompson following her in the store.
Thompson approached the woman and asked her what kind of car she had. When she refused to tell him, Thompson showed a handgun in the pocket of his hoodie and demanded the keys to her vehicle. The child was holding the keys and gave them to Thompson.
Thompson held the gun to the child's back and pushed him out of the store, into the parking lot. He told the woman to start her car and drive over the median, while he dragged the child through the parking lot. Thompson got in the car and drove away.
An off-duty Metro Nashville police officer was in the Kroger parking lot, saw the incident, followed Thompson and notified the police department.
Thompson continued his escape, but crashed in a ravine near Lebanon Pike and Munn Road. After resisting and injuring an officer and police K9, Thompson was taken into custody.
If he is convicted, Thompson faces up to 15 years in prison for the carjacking and 10 year for the gun possession charge, as well as an additional mandatory minimum of seven years for brandishing the firearm.
The woman, her child, the two officers and the K9 involved were all okay following this incident.
