Crime spree begins in Beaumont and ends in Lufkin with shooting

Beaumont police say a suspect was shot by police in Lufkin after committing multiple felonies in both cities, including stealing a vehicle and crashing it into an entrance at Parkdale Mall. Officers said the crime spree began at about it p.m. on Saturday when the suspect approached a woman airing up her tires at a 7-11 convenience store at 501 Washington Street in Beaumont and threatened her and stealing her Ford Expedition. A short time later at midnight, police say the man entered Criss Cross convenience store at 35o MLK in Beaumont, where he threatened the clerk and fled with an undisclosed amount of money. Officers say the man then drove the vehicle through one of the entrances at Parkdale Mall at 1:15 a.m. and burglarized two jewelry and perfume kiosks, stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. The suspect then fled in the stolen vehicle and apparently headed north on Highway 69. A few hours later, the suspect showed up in Lufkin where he crashed the vehicle into Big's, a convenience store on Frank Avenue, where he threatened to kill the clerk and also robbed the business. After that officers said he left the store ran across the street to the nearby Whataburger on Loop 287, where he jerked a driver out of a car at the drive through window and stole the vehicle. Police arriving at the scene, reportedly witnessed the carjacking and attempted to stop the suspect by trying to block the vehicle he was driving. However, police say the suspect refused to stop and tried to run over them, forcing the officers to open fire. Officers say the runaway vehicle proceeded north on Loop 287, in the southbound lane of the highway. However, the chase apparently ended near the Highway 69 underpass, when the suspect failed negotiate a turn and went into trees on Allen Gin Road, where he was taken into custody and taken to jail. Officers said the man, who had been shot in the leg by police was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated before being transferred to an out of town hospital, where he was at last word reported to be in stable condition. Lufkin Police say that as per the policy of their department, the Texas Rangers have been called on to assist in the investigation of the action taken by the officers who fired their weapons. On Monday police identified the suspect Jamelle Yantoine Parker, 35, of Amarillo, who was reportedly paroled from prison December 19 after his early release by TDCJ on a 15 year sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was to be on parole until July 1, 2026. Lufkin Police say he has io prior arrests for violent crimes and other offenses.