Man charged with murder after robbery led to car chase in Kilgore

KILGORE — A man has been charged with murder after a car chase following a robbery in Kilgore at approximately 2:20 p.m. Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, the incident ended with a juvenile male being shot and killed. Four juveniles were also arrested. According to the Kilgore Police Department, two cars were shooting at each other during the chase. Police said that the crime scene started on Harris and spanned 11 blocks to Sunset Lane.

Callers said that several male subjects were seen running from an apartment located on Harris Street, in a white Ford pickup truck and left the area heading southbound on Broadway Blvd. Callers added that several of the male subjects were seen waving firearms before driving away.

While police officers responded, it was reported that the Ford pickup was being chased by a small grey car. Shortly after, KPD received reports of gunshots near Broadway Blvd and Bean Avenue involving the two vehicles. Authorities located the white Ford pickup truck crashed on the 2600 block of Sunset Lane. Witnesses told officers that several male subjects wearing all dark clothing exited the truck and ran into the woods nearby. Witnesses also said that they heard several gunshots fired after the passengers exited the pickup truck.

Officers at the scene found one male subject seriously injured with a gunshot wound to his head. He was then transported to an area hospital where he died.

Kilgore Police, with the help of Gregg County Sheriff’s Deputies, Rusk County Sheriff’s Deputies, Henderson Police and Texas DPS Troopers located and positively identified the four male juveniles who fled from the pickup truck. Further investigation revealed that the juveniles in the white Ford pickup truck were chased from the apartment on Harris Street and shot at by the driver of the grey passenger car who was identified as Edward James Hawthorne, 27, of Kilgore. Hawthorne fled the scene but later surrendered to the Gladewater Police Department.