FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY - June 16, 2011

FELON WHO SHOT AT POLICE DURING TRAFFIC STOP RECEIVES FEDERAL PRISON SENTENCE

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that Judgement was entered yesterday against CHRISTOPHER HASAN GAY, of Henderson, North Carolina. On June 1, 2011, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced GAY, 32, to 120 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on September 24, 2009, charging GAY with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.On December 1, 2010, GAY pled guilty to the charge.

On January 2, 2009, law enforcement responded to a 911 call reporting that a vehicle was traveling on SR 1001 firing multiple shots from the window. When officers reached the area, they pulled the vehicle over.

Officers approached the automobile and asked all five occupants to exit the car. All occupants except GAY exited. When GAY remained in the rear passenger seat, officers asked him to roll down the window and show his hands. GAY appeared to be concealing his hands with a baseball cap.

After GAY failed to comply with repeated demands to show his hands, one of the officers opened the door for GAY to step out. As GAY got out, he spun his body around, keeping his hands concealed. GAY then pulled out a Ruger 9mm pistol and held it to his own head. The officers drew their weapons and ordered GAY to drop the gun.

GAY, during an ensuing scuffle with police, jumped into the backseat of the vehicle and pointed the gun, firing at one of the officers. The officer returned fire. GAY climbed behind the steering wheel and fled the scene. After a two-mile high-speed chase, GAY ran off of the road and crashed. The firearm was recovered on the ground at the crash site.

“Every day officers put themselves in danger. When they make a stop, such as this one, they never know what will happen. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to law enforcement officers as each day they lay their lives on the line to protect us.” offered Mr. Holding.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Henderson Police Department and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney William Gilmore was the assigned

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce