Botched drug deal ends with 3 detained and a car on its side, Elk Grove police say
Investigators say a drug deal gone wrong Thursday night in Elk Grove ended with three people detained and a car overturned on its side in a shopping center.
Officers have learned that a 17-year-old boy contacted Jordan Gordon-Lawson, 19, on a social media app, and the two teens arranged to meet in the parking lot of a shopping center, officials said Friday in an Elk Grove Police Department news release.
Police said the 17-year-old wanted to buy marijuana from Gordon-Lawson, according to police. They did not release the boy’s name because he is a minor.
The 17-year-old arrived at the shopping center parking lot in a vehicle with a man, who has been identified by police. but whose name has not been released. It was unclear if police have found him.
Gordon-Lawson arrived in his vehicle with a passenger. Gordon-Lawson got out of his vehicle and met with the 17-year-old and the man at their vehicle.
At some point during their interaction, Gordon-Lawson grabbed the 17-year-old’s money and ran back toward his own car, according to police. The 17-year-old and the man ran after Gordon-Lawson.
Officials said Gordon-Lawson brandished a gun as he was being chased. The man ran back to the vehicle he arrived in, but the 17-year-old ran to Gordon-Lawson’s car and got into the driver’s seat.
The 17-year-old then sped off in Gordon-Lawson’s with Gordon-Lawson’s passenger still in the car’s backseat, according to police. The 17-year-old lost control of the car, which overturned and came to rest on its side. Then, the 17-year-old ran away.
The incident initially was reported to police shortly before 7:30 p.m. Thursday as a “weapons disturbance” in the 6700 block of Laguna Boulevard, according to the news release.
Officers arrived at the scene and found Gordon-Lawson and his passenger standing next to Gordon-Lawson’s overturned car in the shopping center. Officials said Gordon-Lawson threw away the gun in a nearby bush, but the gun was later recovered by police.
Shortly before 8 p.m., officials announced that a police helicopter was helping officers on the ground search for a suspect near Laguna Boulevard and Bruceville Road.
At that time, the officers were looking for a suspect, who was described as a white man wearing black jeans, a dark-colored hoodie and red shoes. It was unclear if this particular suspect was found Thursday night.
The officers were searching the area with a K-9 unit, so residents were advised to stay inside if they live near there, officials announced on the Elk Grove Police Department’s Twitter account.
About an hour later, Elk Grove police announced that officers had detained three people who were believed to have been involved in the incident.
Police said officers found the 17-year-old in a nearby neighborhood just southeast of where the botched drug deal occurred.
Detectives arrested Gordon-Lawson on suspicion of robbery, carrying a loaded gun and removing or altering a serial number on a gun. He was booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail and has since been released, according to jail records.
The 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and kidnapping. He was booked at the county’s Juvenile Hall.
This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 8:54 PM.
