Three men are in the Carroll Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility following an armed robbery of a Dollar General store in Blackhawk.
A Carroll County deputy and a Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper responded to the 8:15 a.m. call to the store on Thursday and met the suspect, identified as Corleone Pate Jr. of Lexington exiting the building, according to a statement released by Sheriff Clint Walker.
“The armed suspect confronted the State trooper and fled on foot,” the release stated.
Responding deputies noticed a “suspicious” car exiting a nearby driveway and stopped the vehicle to find out if it was involved in the armed robbery. Deputies then took Jonathan Alexander, 21 of Lexington, into custody after determining that he was to drive the getaway car, according to the statement.
Deputies began a manhunt for Pate Jr., 18, and set up road checkpoints in the area, Walker stated.
“On [Mississippi] Highway 17 about two miles south of Blackhawk at one of the checkpoints, law enforcement came into contact with Corleone Pate Sr. who is the father of Corleone Pate Jr.,:” the release stated.
After questioning Pate Sr., officials determined Pate Sr., 41, was on the way to pick up Pate Jr., and they took Pate Sr. into custody.
Approximately 30 minutes later, an off-duty Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks game warden, who was feeding his cattle, came into contact with Pate Jr. and the two began to “struggle” near Mississippi Highway 17. A Mississippi Department of Transportation employee, passing by, noticed the fight and got out to assist the game warden, the release stated.
“MHP troopers and Carroll deputies arrived and took the subject into custody after a lengthy altercation during which the suspect had to be tased more than once,” the release stated. “The MDOT employee was severely bitten by Pate Jr. and was treated and released at the scene by Medstat.”
Walker said Pate Jr. was out on bond at the time of the robbery, accused of shooting two teenagers in DeSoto County.
Carroll County deputies booked all three men into CMRCF. Pate Jr. has been charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault. Alexander is charged with armed robbery, and Pate Sr. is charged with accessory after the fact, according to the statement.
The men remain jailed as they await an initial appearance, Walker said.
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Winona Police Department K9 Unit, MHP helicopter and drone, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, Leflore County Sheriff’s Department, and Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks to search the heavily wooded area and set up road checkpoints to locate the suspect, the release stated.
“I am thankful to the good Lord for His arm of protection around everyone involved. I also want to thank each and every department who responded to assist us this morning and also to the citizens for their tips and cooperation,” Walker said on Thursday. “To have that many agencies work together seamlessly to resolve such a dangerous situation so quickly is truly a testament of their professionalism.”
