Devichec Dequan Smith
A Chattanooga teen is facing charges in a home invasion in which he was shot.
Devichec Dequan Smith, 19, of 234 Tunnel Blvd., was charged with especially aggravated robbery and especially aggravated burglary.
In the incident last Saturday, police investigated the incident on Cherryton Dr. A couple said they were asleep in bed when they heard a loud banging on the front door and people shouting, "Chattanooga Police".
The couple said three intruders got in by breaking out a window and held guns on them as they went up the stairs toward the second floor. The male resident began struggling with one of the intruders and the male resident was shot in the groin.
The female resident got her gun and began firing, apparently hitting the intruder who had shot the male resident in the groin. The three men, who were wearing hoodies and ski masks, then fled.
The male resident was transported to Erlanger Hospital, and about the same time a gold/tan minivan dropped off Devichec Smith at Parkridge Hospital. Smith, who was shot in the chest, was later transported to Erlanger.
Just prior to the shootings, witnesses reported seeing two men walking down Cherryton Drive toward Walgreens. One wore a red hoodie with a logo on the front and dark pants, while another wore a gray hoodie with dark pants. Both males were wearing (COVID) masks.
Afterward, the male wearing the red hoodie was observed hiding behind the house at Cherryton. Witnesses called 911 to report a suspicious person.
Then witnesses saw two men run around the Cherryton house and heard gunshots.
Inside the house police found a Glock 9mm handgun, 9mm and 40 caliber shell casings and marijuana, and took DNA swabs of blood.
Investigators went to the hospital to ask Smith how he had been wounded. He said he was accidentally shot by a friend in Hixson who was playing with a gun. Asked what type of vehicle dropped him off, he said a silver Jeep. When shown video of him being dropped off by a gold/tan minivan, he confirmed that was the vehicle that dropped him off.
Police located the gold/tan minivan at 4460 Old Mission Road. The vehicle had blood in it. Police said the vehicle is registered to Smith's girlfriend.
Police said they obtained video of the gold/tan minivan in the vicinity of the Cherryton Drive residence near the time of the home invasion.