Tyre Chapman was 22 years old when he became the subject of a police pursuit in Atlanta, Georgia. But his troubles with law enforcement had begun weeks earlier in Bessemer, Alabama, a city located southwest of Birmingham. On December 29th, 2023, Chapman was arrested by authorities in Bessemer on several misdemeanor charges. He was subsequently held at the Bessemer City Jail. By January 12th, Chapman was no longer willing to remain behind bars. That evening, at approximately 7:00 p.m., he escaped from the Bessemer City Jail, and he was now a fugitive. Following his escape, Chapman allegedly stole a vehicle from the parking lot of a Planet Fitness gym in Bessemer, Alabama. The vehicle was an Infiniti Q50, and rather than remaining in the immediate area, Chapman eventually made his way across state lines into Georgia. For the next several days, Chapman remained outside police custody, but on January 17th, just 5 days after his escape, his luck would run out. At approximately 3:37 p.m. on January 17th, Atlanta police received information that a stolen Infiniti Q50 had been spotted near the 300 block of Boulevard Northeast. Officers began searching the area, but instead of relying exclusively on patrol units, the Atlanta Police Department requested assistance from its aviation unit. The department's police helicopter, known as Phoenix 1, joined the search. Georgia State Patrol troopers were also requested to assist. The vehicle was parked at a Chevron gas station. From above, the aviation unit observed a man exit the gas station and get into the car. At this point, officers on the ground began positioning themselves to intercept the vehicle, But, Chapman apparently had no intention of cooperating. As officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, he accelerated away at a high rate of speed. And suddenly, what began as an investigation involving a stolen vehicle had turned into a police pursuit. As Chapman sped away, officers continued coordinating with the aviation unit. The helicopter provided an important advantage. Even if patrol vehicles lost sight of the Infiniti, Phoenix 1 could continue monitoring the vehicle from above. For Chapman, that created a serious problem. He might be able to put distance between himself and the officers on the ground, but escaping the helicopter would be much more difficult. The aviation unit continued tracking the stolen vehicle as Chapman traveled through Atlanta. Eventually, the pursuit reached a convenience store at 322 Glenn Street Southwest. There, Chapman made another decision. He abandoned the Infiniti and took off running. But, leaving the vehicle behind didn't mean he had escaped police. The helicopter was still watching. After abandoning the Infiniti, Chapman began running through a nearby residential area. From the ground, the neighborhood offered several possible places to hide. There were houses, yards, parked vehicles, and other obstacles that could potentially obstruct an officer's view. But, from the helicopter, Chapman's movements were still visible. The aviation unit continued monitoring him and relaying information to officers below. At some point during his attempted escape, Chapman allegedly discarded a handgun inside a garbage can. >> 10-4. In the trash can. He's running to the house in the backyard of all these blue trash cans. He's running the [ __ ] out of Get your ass out, bro. Stop. What is your address? What is your address? >> That's stupid, dog. Get in the car. How old are you? >> 24. >> All right, I'll read you your rights, and why you going to do that? >> If I If I read you your rights, you you going TO TALK TO ME OR NOT? >> YEAH. >> YOU GOING TO TALK? >> YES, I UNDERSTAND. >> YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID? SO, YOU mean you know you from Alabama, which is the standard with the rights, you know, you got to remain silent or something like that, okay? All right, You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in court as evidence against you. You are entitled to have a lawyer now and have him now or at any time during during questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you without cost, and you may be present at all times during questioning. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights, not answer any questions, or make any statements. All right. All right, do you understand these rights? >> I don't know. >> Is is it >> Yes, I understand. >> Yes? Okay. >> Yes, sir. >> All right, you got them, all right. All right, with that in mind, may you wish to talk to me without a lawyer here? >> Uh yeah. >> Okay. I'm just pulling out my little trusty notepad. All right, man. All right, how you got the car, bro? >> Uh at Planet Fitness and then He was in a locker room and he just What what what >> What you over here? >> What what you doing way here? >> Cuz I knew if I was in jail I would have been caught. >> You you think you would have been caught here? >> I thought I was going to be in jail waiting for it. You know you know what I'm saying? >> You was driving that thing. I'll give you that. >> I know this [ __ ] this going to go down. I know this going to get brought up once I go to jail, but I want No, I escaped from uh Bessemer City Jail. That's why I stole the car. >> So, do you have a you have an active warrant for your arrest now? For that for escaping from the jail? >> They was looking for me for sure. >> They was looking for you now? Okay. You know what, bro? I like you, dog. >> They was young. They left the keys in the door. And they had the keys to the truck too. They knocked the keys out. >> Okay. >> I was 35. I was rolling around here. >> Okay. >> Get on my feet and >> You real, dog. I like that. >> I said I can't take back what I did. I know and and it's like and then I sit down in the car too. While I was driving I said, "Man, I can't take back what I did." I said, "If I get caught, I get caught." They going to know everything that I did cuz >> I like that. I I I respect that, man. Cuz you real as [ __ ] bro. People [ __ ] lied up. >> Following his arrest, Chapman was transported to the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. He faced several criminal charges in Georgia. Those included driving with a suspended or revoked license, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and theft by receiving stolen property. But, those weren't his only legal problems. Back in Alabama, the Bessemer Police Department had obtained additional charges related to his escape. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, those charges included escape in the second degree and theft. The Alabama charges were obtained on January 18th, 1 day after Chapman's arrest in Atlanta. Authorities also indicated that Chapman would be extradited back to Alabama. For a man who had originally been arrested on misdemeanor charges, the situation had become considerably more serious. His alleged actions following the escape had resulted in additional criminal accusations across two states.