An inmate who escaped from a Mississippi courthouse more than two months ago has been located barricaded in a Chicago restaurant, just blocks away from the Democratic National Convention venue, officials confirmed.
Chief Deputy Justin Smith from the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi provided updates during a news conference on Tuesday, stating that the 30-year-old escapee, Joshua Zimmerman, is currently alone in the restaurant and there is no immediate threat to civilians in the vicinity.
Zimmerman had managed to escape from the courthouse in northwest Mississippi on June 14, and authorities are still investigating how he made his way to Chicago, approximately 25 miles south of Memphis.
The US Marshals Service has listed Zimmerman as wanted for charges including murder, escape, and armed robbery.
Upon receiving information from the Marshals Service, the sheriff’s office was alerted that Zimmerman had been located at the restaurant and was barricaded inside the building, prompting the Chicago Police Department SWAT team to respond to the scene.
The sheriff’s office expressed their hope that Zimmerman will be apprehended and extradited back to Mississippi for further questioning regarding his escape.
