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Officials: 2 dead, 3 wounded in violent rampage in Tennessee

This undated mugshot from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation shows Dangelo Dorsey of St. Louis, Mo. Authorities said Dorsey shot himself after killing two people and wounding three others during a series of shootings and carjackings. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation via AP)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A gunman killed two people and wounded three others in a series of shootings and carjackings that ended with a high-speed chase as he fled police. He ultimately wrecked the car he stole and killed himself, while his remaining hostage survived, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said.

The string of crimes began Sunday morning along Interstate 24 near Beechgrove when Dangelo Dorsey, 29, opened fire inside a moving vehicle, killing one person and wounding another, TBI Director David Rausch said in a news release.

Dorsey, of St. Louis, Missouri, got out of the vehicle as traffic came to a halt on the interstate, shooting a driver in the hand as he attempted to carjack her vehicle, and shooting a nearby truck driver in the face, Rausch said.

Dorsey then carjacked a man and woman, forcing them to drive him to their home in Morrison, Rausch said. While there, Dorsey allegedly stole two of their guns, swapped vehicles and forced the man and woman to go with him.

At some point, authorities said, Dorsey fatally shot the man and forced his body out of the vehicle along I-24 near Manchester, then drove off with the woman still inside the car.

Officials then located the SUV and a chase ensued, reaching speeds over 100 mph (161 kph). The SUV crashed and flipped, Rausch said.

“At that point, Dorsey took his own life,” Rausch stated. “The female hostage was safely recovered.”

The investigation is ongoing, Rausch said. On Monday, authorities identified the two men killed as Darcey Johnson, 28, and Phillip Jordan Stevens, 23. Johnson was killed in the initial shooting on Interstate 24 and Stevens was killed after being taken hostage, the bureau said in a statement.

“I want to extend our deepest sympathies to the innocent lives that have been impacted by today’s set of events,” Rausch stated.

He also thanked drivers on the interstate for their patience during the investigation, acknowledging that the work by law enforcement “resulted in chaos, delays and inconvenience.”