ADAMS CO., Miss. (WLBT) – Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten is being credited with stopping a robbery suspect during a dramatic confrontation outside the sheriff’s office that was caught on camera.
Patten says 35-year-old Michael Goods is facing several charges in Adams County and also has an outstanding warrant in Houston, Texas.
Charges Patten says Goods is facing:
- Armed robbery
- Burglary (all but a dwelling)
- Possession of a weapon by a convicted felon
“I knew it was about to go down, and I had a choice to make,” Patten said.
A quiet afternoon outside the Adams County Sheriff’s Office turned into a tense, split-second showdown when the suspected robber came face-to-face with Patten – and it was all caught on camera.
“Earlier that day, around 7:27 a.m., I received information that a vehicle was burglarized, and another person had been armed robbed at one of our local businesses here in Adams County. So, when I was pulling up to the building around 9:26 a.m., I had no clue that I was going to run right into the individual I’d been informed was accused of committing the act,” Patten explained.
During the encounter, Patten says he called Goods over and started talking with him, becoming more confident he had the right person. Patten says the situation escalated when the suspect reached inside his pocket.
“I told him, whatever you think about doing, don’t – because I have two young guys in a vehicle behind me, and they’re going to run you down,” Patten said. “When I said that, I could see him get even more tense, and I could see him clutching something in his pocket. So, at that time, he took a step back. When he took a step back, I took a step forward and put my hands on him – did a tactical takedown.”
Video shows Patten holding the suspect down until deputies arrived to assist.
Patten says, as deputies walked Goods toward the sheriff’s office, a gun fell from the suspect’s possession.
“As he walks to the middle of the street, if you look at the video closely, you’ll see a black object fall. Two black objects actually fell in the middle of the street. That was a Smith & Wesson .380 and the magazine that fell as they were bringing him across the street,” Patten said.
Patten says investigators also recovered other items he believes were stolen and in Goods’ possession at the time of the arrest.
“The reality of it is, this guy has a rap sheet 17 pages long and all of it involves armed robbery, burglary, homicide and home invasion. He’s actually wanted in Texas right now,” Patten said. “I am happy to be alive. I’m blessed to be alive. That could have been different, but I’m glad it didn’t. I will tell every law enforcement officer: stay prayed up and trust God-given instincts.”
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