Justen Bechamp’s quick thinking recently helped police capture a man accused of allegedly stabbing two people.
Excerpt from the news article by Jameson Cook at the Macomb Daily:
Justen Bechamp, a driver for Petitpren Inc. in Clinton Township, was driving May 17 when his dog-sitter called him and informed him she was on lockdown at a local school due to a suspect who stabbed two people in Roseville and St. Clair Shores, one of them fatally, Petitpren officials said in a news release. She gave him the vehicle description and told him to keep an eye out for a dark-colored Chevrolet HHR.
Minutes later, Bechamp pulled into an alley behind Hot Shots Bar & Music Café in Warren and spotted the suspect vehicle. For a second, he said he considered it could be a coincidence but quickly changed his mind, went inside, told the bartender to lock the doors and call 911. The suspect, Shane Burns, was arrested by Warren police minutes later.
“It was unreal, but I’m glad I was able to do my part and stop this person from doing more harm in our community,” Bechamp said in the release.
St. Clair Shores Mayor Kip Walby called Bechamp to thank him for his actions. Walby said he breathed a sigh of relief when Burns was caught and called Thompson to praise Bechamp’s quick thinking that led to the arrest.
“It was such a huge relief to hear this person was caught so he couldn’t hurt anyone else,” Walby said. “Being a beer distributor and being in restaurants and bars throughout the county, they have boots on the ground and can be the eyes and ears for the rest of us and try to assist police.
“I wanted Jamey to know how much I appreciated the fact Justen took the initiative to make that potentially life-saving call. Without people like Justen serving as the eyes and ears of our community, I don’t want to think about what else could have happened.”
Bechamp’s employer praised his efforts.
“We’re extremely proud of Justen for going above and beyond to serve his community while on the job at Petitpren Inc.,” said Jamey Thompson, Petitpren vice president and general manager. “His efforts helped the police apprehend the suspect quickly and prevent anyone else from being harmed. The incident is an example of Petitpren’s strong connections in the communities we proudly serve.”
Thompson said the day’s events underscore what Petitpren is all about – giving back to the communities they serve – even in ways unimagined. Bechamp is one of 86 full-time and 79 part-time employees at Petitpren, which deploys 175 trucks, according to its web site.
“We’re great at delivering beer and serving our customers but we also pride ourselves on being good stewards in our communities,” Thompson said. “Of course, it’s not every day we’re stopping crime sprees.”
Read the full article from the Macomb Daily here.