Greenville Hostage Situation, Chase Ends Quickly on I-85

Greenville Police have a suspect in custody who stole a van with a mentally challenged adult inside and led them on a brief chase.

Officers responded to a burglary call at 750 Mauldin Road Thursday morning according to Lt. Mike Gambrell of Greenville Police. The suspect shot at officers and then carjacked a van at a nearby special needs care facility.

Four schools were placed on lockdown as police and deputies searched for two suspects.

Christ Church Episcopal School went on lockdown from 10:10am to 10:50am after their security division was informed that two suspects were on the loose in the area near the campus.

Dr. Leonard Kupersmith, Head Master of CCES, says they were told the second was captured by police while riding a bicycle on Fairforest.

Police and sheriff’s office gave CCES direct instruction that they could come off lockdown after the second arrest around 10:50am.

J.L. Mann High School, Sara Collins Elementary School and Washington Center all were put in lockdown in response to law enforcement’s pursuit of the suspect according to Oby Lyles, Director of Communications for Greenville County Schools.

The lockdown has been lifted.

The suspect was caught on Interstate 85 near the Mauldin Road exit near mile marker 46. A South Carolina Department of Transportation camera showed police activity and a backup of vehicles on the interstate.

The special needs facility resident, police officers and the suspect are all safe according to Gambrell.

One of the suspects, John Forrest Ham, Junior, is in the Greenville County Detention Center.  He’s charged with eight different crimes including kidnapping and carjacking.  Police have not named the other suspect, but they tell News Channel 7 that person is in custody.

Reporting by Kristen Nastasia

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