The Meridian Police Department said a gray BMW was involved in two separate armed robberies that occurred within 10 minutes of each other but they haven’t determined if the same man entered both businesses.

A man with a shotgun entered a business at 9:43 p.m. in the 2500 block of 8th Street. He pointed his gun at the clerk and possibly fired one shot while in the business, according to Meridian Sgt. Dareall Thompson. 

Thompson said the man took money from the clerk and then video footage showed him leaving in a gray BMW.

At 9:54 p.m. the gray BMW was involved in a separate incident at the 2300 block of Highway 39 North, Thompson said.

A Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department deputy attempted to stop the vehicle but the BMW driver backed into the patrol car and the driver took off on foot, according to Lauderdale County Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun.

Calhoun said the vehicle had heavy front damaged but the deputy remained unharmed.

An estimate for the damage hasn’t been completed but Calhoun said he estimated it could cost between $5,000 and $7,000.

Thompson said police had the vehicle and a cash register, possibly from the second armed robbery, in their evidence bay.