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NEWS

Police shoot, kill fugitive in parking lot gunbattle

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
(Updated 8:07 am)

GREENSBORO — A man wanted in connection with a New York City homicide is dead after he shot at three Greensboro police officers attempting to arrest him Sunday.

The three officers approached Hakeem Chaneyfield in an apartment complex parking lot when he shot at them, police said.

The officers returned fire, killing Chaneyfield.

The SBI will investigate the shooting, as it does with all police shootings.

None of the officers was injured.

Cpl. H.E. Summers of the police canine team and Officers B.M. Altizer and T.D. Moore of the tactical special enforcement team will be assigned administrative duties for the duration of the investigation, according to a police news release.

Neighbors said the sound of gunfire was deafening and terrifying.

“I hit the floor,” said Jayne Thompson, who was house-sitting for her sister, a resident of the apartment complex.

Thompson said she had been outside moments before, chatting with neighbors. She heard two shots when she went inside, followed by a barrage that felt like it lasted a full minute and drove her to the floor, she said.

“It was just that loud,” Thompson said. “I expected stuff to come flying past my head.”

Police did not disclose Chaneyfield’s age or where he lived.

Chief Tim Bellamy did not return phone calls seeking comment.

About 5 p.m. Sunday, a relative of Chaneyfield’s called 911 to tell police that Chaneyfield was in her apartment at 1315 W. Meadowview Road.

The relative told police that Chaneyfield had killed his girlfriend, said William Hill, an attorney representing the Greensboro Police Officers Association.

Chaneyfield’s girlfriend, Jasmine Liggins, 31, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was found dead in her apartment at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with a gunshot wound to her head, according to the New York Police Department.

Greensboro officers watched the Meadowview Road apartment Sunday. About 8 p.m., Chaneyfield walked across the parking lot to a car, and the officers approached him and told him to put up his hands. Chaneyfield instead fired on the officers, sending a bullet through the windshield of a police vehicle occupied by two other officers, Hill said.

“The officers returned fire to save their own lives,” Hill said.

“It’s sad that this guy died, but he chose that path by trying to kill police.”

Chaneyfield marks the city’s 17th homicide and the third officer-involved shooting in 2008.

Contact Sonja Elmquist at 373-7090 or sonja.elmquist@news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

File photo (News & Record)

Photo Caption: Police tape at the scene after the September 2008 shooting.

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